(^ 


sy 


y'' 


R  MACKENZIE  Esq^ 


VOYAGES  from  MONTREAL 
THROUGH  THE  CONTI- 
NENTS/NORTH AMERICA 

TO  THE 

FROZEN  and  PACIFIC  OCEANS 

IN    1789  and  1793 

WITH  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  RISE 
AND   STATE   OF    THE    FUR   TRADE 

By 

ALEXANDER   MACKENZIE 

WITH  MAP 
IN  TWO  VOLUMES 

VOL.  I. 


NEW  AMSTERDAM  BOOK  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS:     NEW    YORK,     1902 


Registered  at  the 
Library  of  Congress,  A  ugust  ig02 

by 
NEW   AMSTERDAM    BOOK  COMPANY 

Published,  August  1902.  N. 


Introduction. 

The  exact  date  of  Sir  Alexander  Macken- 
zie's birth  is  not  accurately  known,  although 
it  is  supposed  he  was  born  at  Inverness,  Scot- 
land, about  1755.  He  came  to  North  Amer- 
ica at  an  early  age  and  obtained  employment 
in  the  counting-house  of  Messrs.  Gregory 
and  Co.,  a  connexion  of  the  North-West  Fur 
Company.  It  was  while  he  was  with  this 
company  that  he  obtained  the  experience  and 
knowledge  necessary  to  his  profession  of  a 
fur-trader,  long  before  he  undertook  his  ar- 
duous and  dangerous  expeditions  to  the  far 
North.  He  was  soon  to  distinguish  himself. 
His  firm  gave  him  a  small  venture  to  Detroit 
on  condition  that  he  penetrate  to  the  back 
country,  which  was  then  almost  entirely  un- 
explored, and  open  up  trade  with  the  Indi- 
ans. He  carried  out  his  task  in  his  usual 
thorough  manner,  but  not  without  a  severe 
struggle  with  a  party  of  European  traders, 
who  had  already  obtained  a  foothold  on  the 
margin  of  this  district,  and  who  resented  any 
interference  with  their  monopoly  by  outside 
parties.  However,  finally  the  intruders  were 
permitted  to  remain  and  sliare  in  the  trade 
with  the  first  comers.  For  many  years  after 
iii 


203178G 


INTRODUCTION, 

this,  Mr.  Mackenzie  was  occupied  in  trading 
and  exploring  in  various  parts  of  the  conti- 
nent, but  of  these  operations  we  have,  unfor- 
tunately, little  or  no  record.  After  the 
amalgamation  of  the  North-West  Company 
with  the  older  Hudson's-l^ay  Company,  Mr. 
Mackenzie  appears  to  have  resided  in  Canada, 
where  he  became  a  meml)er  of  the  provincial 
parlianient,  representing  Huntingdon  County. 
He  married  in  1812,  and  afterwards  bought 
an  estate  at  Avoch,  Ross-shire,  Scotland, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death  in  March, 
1820. 

It  is  as  an  explorer  of  the  vast  and  lonely 
wilds  of  the  North  that  Mackenzie's  fame 
chiefly  rests.  The  bravery  and  hardihood 
which  carried  him  thousands  of  miles  over 
the  prairie  and  muskegs  of  the  illimitable 
plains,  down  the  rapids  of  great  unknown 
rivers,  over  the  ranges  of  almost  impassable 
mountains,  will  always  command  the  admi- 
ration of  all  who  care  for  noble  deeds. 

With  a  small  party  of  Canadian  voyageurs 
and  Indians,  in  birch-bark  canoes,  Mr.  Mac- 
kenzie started  to  explore  the  unknown  re- 
gions of  the  North.  Skirting  the  Great 
Slave  Lake,  he  finally  entered  the  Macken- 
zie River,  and  then  began  that  long,  deep 
plunge  into  the  wilderness,  which  lasted 
many  months,  until  he  finally  emerged  on 
the  shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  in  Latitude 
iv 


raXRODUCTION. 

69.  Xorth.  Here  he  set  up  a  post  with  his 
name  and  date  of  visit.  The  return  voyage 
was  fraught  with  many  dangers  and  vicissi- 
tudes, but  he  finally  arrived  safely  at  Fort 
Chippewayan  in  September,  1789. 

jNIr.  Mackenzie's  next  expedition  was  even 
more  dangerous  and  difficult  than  the  former. 
He  started  from  Fort  Chippewayan  on  the 
10th  of  July,  1792,  with  the  object  of  reach- 
ing the  Pacific  Coast,  an  enterprise  never 
before  attempted  by  a  European.  After 
more  than  nine  months  of  perilous  travel  he 
achieved  his  ambition  and  reached  the  Great 
Western  Ocean  near  Cape  jNIenzies  on  the 
22nd  June,  1793.  He  is  said  to  have  in- 
scribed on  the  face  of  a  rock  the  date  of  his 
visit,  and  here  it  was  that  he  was  nearly 
murdered  by  the  natives  before  setting  out 
on  his  return. 

The  results  of  ]Mr.  Mackenzie's  voyages  to 
the  far  Xorth  have  not  been  meagre.  The 
opening  of  the  territory  to  the  west  of  the 
Rocky  ^Mountains,  followed  quickly  after; 
and  the  great  Hudson' s-Bay  Company  imme- 
diately started  to  stud  the  whole  northern 
countr}^  with  small  trading  posts,  whence 
have  been  drawn  since  incalculable  riches  in 
the  furs  of  the  North. 

All  this  is  easy  enough  to  write  down,  but 
the  tale  is  still  far  from  being  told  in  full. 
AVhat  of  the  long  days  of  gloom  and  loueli- 


INTRODUCTION. 

ness,  days  of  peril  and  uncertainy,  days  when 
liope  had  almost  reached  the  vanishing  point? 
Who  shall  speak?  It  is  a  fascinating  record 
which  has  placed  the  name  of  this  indomi- 
table Scotchman  beside  the  names  of  the 
world's  greatest  explorers. 

ROBERT  WAITE. 


Yl 


Preface. 

On  presenting  this  Volume  to  my  Country, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  enter  into  a  particular 
account  of  those  voyages  whose  journals  form 
the  principal  part  of  it,  as  they  will  be  found, 
I  trust,  to  explain  themselves.  It  appears, 
however,  to  be  a  duty,  which  the  Public  have 
a  right  to  expect  from  me,  to  state  the  reasons 
which  have  influenced  me  in  delaying  the 
publication  of  them. 

It  has  been  asserted,  that  a  misunderstand- 
ing between  a  person  high  in  office  and  my- 
self, was  the  cause  of  this  procrastination. 
It  has  also  been  propagated,  that  it  was  oc- 
casioned by  that  precaution  which  the  policy 
of  commerce  will  sometimes  suggest;  but 
they  are  both  equally  devoid  of  foundation. 
The  one  is  an  idle  tale ;  and  there  could  be 
no  solid  reason  for  concealing  the  circum- 
stances of  discoveries,  whose  arrangements 
and  prosecution  were  so  honourable  to  my 
associates  and  myself,  at  whose  expense  they 
were  undertaken.  The  delay  actually  arose 
from  the  very  active  and  busy  mode  of  life  in 
which  I  was  engaged  since  the  voyages  have 
been  completed;  and  when,  at  length,  the 
opportunity  arrived,  the  apprehension  of  pre- 
vii 


PREFACE. 

Renting  nij'self  to  the  Pul)lic  in  the  character 
of  an  Author,  for  which  the  course  and  oc- 
cupations of  my  life  have  by  no  means  quali- 
tieil  me,  made  me  liesitate  in  committing  my 
l)apers  to  the  Press ;  being  much  better  cal- 
culated to  perform  the  voyages,  arduous  as 
they  might  be,  than  to  write  an  account  of 
tliem.  However,  they  are  now  offered  to  the 
Public  witli  tlie  submission  that  becomes  me. 

I  was  led,  at  an  early  period  of  life,  by 
commercial  views,  to  the  country  North-West 
of  Lake  Superior,  in  North  America,  and  l)e- 
ing  endowed  by  Nature  with  an  inquisitive 
mind  and  enterprising  spirit;  possessing  also 
a  constitution  and  frame  of  body  equal  to  the 
most  arduous  undertakings,  and  being  familiar 
with  toilsome  exertions  in  the  prosecution  of 
mercantile  pursuits,  I  not  only  contemplated 
the  practicability  of  penetrating  across  the 
continent  of  America,  but  was  confident  in 
the  qualifications,  as  I  was  animated  by  the 
desire,  to  undertake  the  perilous  enterprise. 

The  general  utility  of  such  a  discovery, 
has  been  universall}'  acknowledged;  while 
the  Avishes  of  my  particular  friends  and  com- 
mercial associates,  that  I  should  proceed  in 
the  pursuit  of  it,  contributed  to  quicken  tlie 
execution  of  this  favourite  project  of  my  own 
ambition  :  and  as  the  completion  of  it  extends 
the  boundaries  of  geographic  science,  and 
adds  new  countries  to  the  realms  of  Britisli 
viii 


PREFACE. 

commerce,  the  dangers  I  have  encountered, 
and  the  toils  I  have  suffered,  have  found 
their  recompence ;  nor  will  the  many  tedious 
and  weary  days,  or  the  gloomy  and  inclement 
nights  which  I  have  passed,  have  been  passed 
in  vain. 

The  first  voyage  has  settled  the  dubious 
point  of  a  practicable  North-West  passage  ;i 
and  I  trust  it  has  set  that  long  agitated  ques- 
tion at  rest,  and  extinguished  the  disputes 
respecting  it  for  ever.  An  enlarged  discus- 
sion of  that  subject  will  be  found  to  occupy 
the  concluding  pages  of  this  volume. 

In  this  voyage,  I  was  not  only  without  the 
necessary  books  and  instruments,  but  also 
felt  myself  deficient  in  the  sciences  of  as- 
tronomy and  navigation ;  I  did  not  hesitate, 
therefore,  to  undertake  a  winter's  voyage  to 
this  country,  in  order  to  procure  the  one,  and 
acquire  the  other.  These  objects  being  ac- 
complished, I  returned,  to  determine  the 
practicability  of  a  commercial  communication 
through  the  continent  of  North  America,  be- 
tween the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  which 
is  proved  by  my  second  journal.  Nor  do  I 
hesitate  to  declare  my  decided  opinion,  that 
very  great  and  essential  advantages  may  be 
derived  by  extending  our  trade  from  one  sea 
to  the  other. 

Some  account  of  the  fur  trade  of  Canada 
froju  that  country,  of  the  native  inhabitants, 
ix 


PREFACE. 

and  of  tlu>  extensive  districts  connected  with 
it,  forms  a  preliminary  discourse,  which  will, 
I  trust,  prove  interesting  to  a  nation,  whose 
general  policy  is  blended  with,  and  whose 
prosi)ority  is  supported  by,  the  pursuits  of 
(•t)mmeree.  It  will  also  qualify  the  reader 
to  pursue  the  succeeding  voyages  with  superior 
intt'lligence  and  satisfaction. 

Those  voyages  will  not,  I  fear,  afford  the 
variety  that  may  be  expected  from  tliem; 
and  that  which  they  offered  to  the  eye,  is  not 
of  a  nature  to  be  effectually  transferred  to 
the  page.  Mountains  and  valleys,  the  dreary 
Avaste,  and  the  wide-spreading  forests,  the 
lakes  and  rivers  succeed  each  other  in  general 
description  ;  and,  excejjt  on  tlie  coasts  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  where  the  villages  were  per- 
manent, and  the  inhabitants  in  a  great  meas- 
I  ure  stationary,  small  bands  of  wandering 
^  Indians  are  the  only  people  whom  I  shall 
introduce  to  the  acquaintance  of  my  readers. 

The  beaver  and  the  buffalo,  the  moose-deer 
and  the  elk,  which  are  the  principal  animals 
to  be  found  in  these  countries,  are  already  so 
familiar  to  the  naturalists  of  Europe,  and 
have  been  so  often  as  well  as  correctly  de- 
scribed in  their  works,  that  the  bare  mention 
of  them,  as  they  enlivened  the  landscape,  or 
were  hunted  for  food;  with  a  cursory  ac- 
count of  the  soil,  the  course  and  navigation  of 
lakes  and  rivers,  and  their  various  produce, 


PREFACE. 

is  all  that  can  be  reasonably  expected  from 
me. 

I  do  not  possess  the  science  of  the  natural- 
ist; and  even  if  the  qualifications  of  that 
character  had  been  attained  by  me,  its  curious 
spirit  would  not  have  been  gratified.  I  could 
not  stop  to  dig  into  the  earth,  over  whose 
surface  I  was  compelled  to  pass  with  rapid 
steps ;  nor  could  I  turn  aside  to  collect  the 
plants  which  nature  might  have  scattered  on 
the  way,  when  my  thoughts  were  anxiously 
employed  in  making  provision  for  the  day 
that  was  passing  over  me.  I  had  to  encounter 
perils  by  land  and  perils  by  water ;  to  watch 
the  savage  who  was  our  guide,  or  to  guard 
against  those  of  his  tribe  who  might  meditate 
our  destruction.  I  had,  also,  the  passions 
and  fears  of  others  to  control  and  subdue. 
To-day,  I  had  to  assuage  the  rising  discon- 
tents, and  on  the  morrow,  to  cheer  the  faint- 
ing spirits  of  the  people  who  accompanied 
me.  The  toil  of  our  navigation  was  inces- 
sant, and  oftentimes  extreme;  and  in  our 
progress  over  land,  we  had  no  protection  from 
the  severity  of  the  elements,  and  possessed 
no  accommodations  or  conveniences  but  such 
as  could  be  contained  in  the  burden  on  our 
shoulders,  which  aggravated  the  toils  of  our 
march,  and  added  to  the  wearisomeness  of 
our  way. 

Though   the    events   which    compose    my 
xi 


PREFACE. 

journals  in.'iy  have  little  in  themselves  to 
strike  the  imagination  of  those  who  love  to 
be  astonished,  oi-  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of 
such  as  are  enamoured  of  romantic  adventures ; 
nevertheless,  when  it  is  considered,  that  I 
explored  those  waters  which  had  never  before 
borne  any  other  vessel  than  the  canoe  of  the 
savage ;  and  traversed  those  deserts  where  an 
European  had  never  before  presented  himself 
to  the  eye  of  its  swarthy  natives ;  when  to 
these  considerations  are  added  the  impoi'tant 
objects  which  were  pursued,  with  the  dangers 
that  were  encountered,  and  the  difficulties 
that  were  surmounted  to  attain  them,  this 
work  will,  I  flatter  myself,  be  found  to  excite 
an  interest,  and  conciliate  regard,  in  the 
minds  of  those  who  peruse  it. 

The  general  maji  which  illustrates  this  vol- 
ume, is  reduced  ]jy  Mr.  Arrowsmith  from  his 
three-sheet  map  of  Xorth  America,  with  the 
latest  discoveries,  which  he  is  about  to  re- 
publish. His  professional  abilities  are  well 
known,  and  no  encomium  of  mine  will  ad- 
vance the  general  and  merited  opinion  of  them. 

Before  I  conclude,  I  must  beg  leave  to  in- 
form my  readers,  that  they  are  not  to  expect 
the  charms  of  embellished  narrative,  or  ani- 
mated description ;  the  approbation  due  to 
simplicity  and  to  truth,  is  all  I  presume  to 
claim ;  and  I  am  not  without  the  hope  that 
this  claim  will  Ije  allowed  me.  I  have  de- 
xii 


PREFACE. 

scribed  whatever  I  saw  with  the  impressions 
of  the  moment  which  presented  it  to  me. 
The  successive  circumstances  of  my  progress 
are  related  without  exaggeration  or  display. 
I  have  seldom  allowed  myself  to  wander  into 
conjecture;  and  whenever  conjecture  has 
been  indulged,  it  will  be  found,  I  trust,  to 
be  accompanied  with  the  temper  of  a  man 
who  is  not  disposed  to  think  too  highly  of 
himself :  and  if,  at  any  time,  I  have  delivered 
myself  with  confidence,  it  will  appear,  I  hope, 
to  be  on  those  subjects,  which,  from  the 
habits  and  experience  of  my  life,  will  justify 
an  unreserved  communication  of  my  opinions. 
I  am  not  a  candidate  for  literary  fame ;  at 
the  same  time,  I  cannot  but  indulge  the  hope 
that  this  volume,  with  all  its  imperfections, 
will  not  be  thought  unworthy  the  attention 
of  the  scientific  geographer;  and  that,  by 
unfolding  countries  hitherto  unexplored,  and 
which,  I  presume,  may  now  be  considered  as 
a  part  of  the  British  dominions,  it  will  be 
received  as  a  faithful  tribute  to  the  prosperity 
of  my  country. 

ALEXANDER  MACKENZIE. 

London, 
November  30,  1801. 


xiu 


Table  of  Contents. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Embarked  at  Fort  Chepewyan,  on  the  Lake  of  the 
Hills,  ia  company  with  M.  Le  Roux.  Account 
of  the  party,  provisions,  etc.  Direction  of  the 
course.  Enter  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Lake. 
Arrive  in  the  Peace  River.  Appearance  of  the 
land.  Navigation  of  the  river.  Arrive  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Dog  River.  Successive  description 
of  several  carrying  places.  A  canoe  lost  in  one  of 
the  Falls.  Encamp  on  Point  de  Roche.  Course 
continued.  Set  the  nets,  etc.  Arrive  at  the  Slave 
Lake.  The  weather  extremely  cold.  Banks  of 
the  river  described,  with  its  trees,  soil,  etc.  Ac- 
count of  the  animal  productions,  and  the  fishery 
of  the  Lake.  Obliged  to  wait  till  the  moving  of 
the  ice.  Three  families  of  Indians  arrive  frorn^ 
Athabasca.  Beavers,  geese,  and  swans  killed. 
The  nets  endangered  by  ice.  Re-embark  and  land 
on  a  small  island.  Course  continued  along  the 
shores,  and  across  the  bays  of  the  Lake.  Various 
successes  of  the  hunters.  Steer  for  an  island  where 
there  was  plenty  of  cranberries  and  small  onions. 
Kill  several  reindeer.  Land  on  an  island  named 
Isle  a  la  Cache.     Clouds  of  mosquitoes  .        .  193 

CHAPTER  II. 

Landed  at  some  lodges  of  Red-Knife  Indians:   pro 
cure  one  of  them  to  assist  in  navigating  the  bays 
Conference  with  the  Indians.     Take  leave  of  M 
XV 


CONTENTS. 

Lv.  Roiix,  and  continue  the  voyage.  Different 
npi^i'arances  of  the  land;  its  vegetable  produce. 
Visit  an  island  where  the  wood  had  been  felled. 
Kurthcr  description  of  the  coast.  Plenty  of  rein- 
aiid  moose-deer,  and  white  partridges.  Enter  a 
very  deep  bay.  Interrupted  by  ice.  Very  blow- 
I  iiig  weather.  Continue  to  cross  the  bay.  Arrive 
at  tlu'  mouth  of  a  river.  Great  numbers  of  fish 
and  wild-fowl.  Description  of  the  land  on  either 
side.  Curious  appearance  of  woods  that  had  been 
burned.  Came  in  sight  of  the  Horn  Mountain. 
Continue  to  kill  geese  and  swans,  etc.  Violent 
storm 211 

CHAPTER  III. 

Continued  our  course.  The  river  narrows.  Lost 
the  lead.  Passed  a  small  river.  Violent  rain. 
Laud  on  a  small  island.  Expect  to  arrive  at  the 
rapid.  Conceal  two  bags  of  pemmican  in  an 
island.  A  view  of  mountains.  Pass  several  en- 
campments of  the  natives.  Arrive  atriong  the 
islands.  Ascend  a  high  hill.  Violence  of  the 
current.  Ice  seen  along  the  banks  of  the  river. 
Land  at  village  of  the  natives.  Their  conduct 
and  aiipearance.  Their  fabulous  stories.  The 
English  chief  and  Indians  discontented.  Obtain 
a  new  guide.  Singular  customs  of  the  natives. 
An  account  of  their  dances.  Description  of  their 
persons,  dress,  ornaments,  buildings,  arms  for  war 
and  hunting,  canoes,  etc.  Passed  on  among  isl- 
ands. Encamped  beneath  a  hill,  and  prevented 
from  ascending  by  the  mosquitoes.  Lauded  at  an 
encampment.  Conduct  of  the  inhabitants.  They 
abound  in  fabulous  accounts  of  dangers.  Land 
at  other  encampments.  Procure  plenty  of  hares 
and  partridges.  Our  guide  anxious  to  return. 
Land  and  alarm  the  natives,  called  the  Hare  lu- 
xvi 


CONTENTS. 

dians,  etc.     Exchange  our  guide.     State  of  the 
weatlier 324 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  new  g\iide  makes  his  escape.  Compel  another 
to  supply  liis  place.  Land  at  an  encampment  of 
another  tribe  of  Indians.  Account  of  their  man- 
ners, dress,  weapons,  etc.  Traffic  with  them. 
Description  of  a  beautiful  fish.  Engage  another 
guide.  His  curious  behaviour.  Kill  a  fo.x  and 
ground-hog.  Land  at  an  encampment  of  a  tribe 
called  the  Degutbee  Denees,  or  Quarrellers.  Saw 
flax  growing  wild.  The  varying  character  of  the 
river  and  its  banks.  Distant  mountains.  Per- 
plexity from  the  numerous  channels  of  the  river. 
Determined  to  proceed.  Land  where  there  had 
been  an  encampment  of  the  Esquimaux.  Saw 
large  flocks  of  wild-fowl.  View  of  the  sun  at 
midnight.  Description  of  a  place  lately  deserted 
by  the  Indians.  Houses  of  the  natives  described. 
Frequent  showers.  Saw  a  black  fox.  The  dis- 
contents of  our  hunters  renewed,  and  pacified. 
Face  of  the  country.  Land  at  a  spot  lately  inhab- 
ited. Peculiar  circumstances  of  it.  Arrive  at  the 
entrance  of  the  lake.  Proceed  to  an  island.  Some 
account  of  it 348 

CHAPTER  V. 

Tlie  baggage  removed  from  the  rising  of  the  water. 
One  of  the  nets  driven  away  by  the  wind  and 
current.  Whales  are  seen.  Go  in  pursuit  of 
them,  but  prevented  from  continuing  it  by  the 
fog.  Proceed  to  take  a  view  of  the  ice.  Canoe 
in  danger  from  the  swell.  Examine  the  islands. 
Describe  one  of  them.  Erect  a  post  to  perpetuate 
our  visit  there.  The  rising  of  the  water  appears 
to  be  the  tide.  Successful  fishing.  Uncertain 
2  xvii 


u 


CONTENTS. 

weather.  Sail  among  the  islands.  Proceed  to  a 
river.  Tonii)orature  of  the  air  improves.  Land 
on  a  small  island,  which  is  a  place  of  sepulture. 
Description  of  it.  See  a  great  number  of  Avild- 
fowl.  Fine  view  of  the  river  from  the  high  land. 
Tile  hunters  kill  reindeer.  Cranberries,  etc.,  found 
in  great  plenty.  The  appearance  and  .state  of  the 
country.  Our  guide  deserts.  Large  flight  of 
geese ;  kill  many  of  them.  "Violent  rain.  Return 
up  the  river.  Leave  the  channels  for  the  main 
stream.  Obliged  to  tow  the  canoe.  Land  among 
1  the  natives.  Circumstances  concerning  them. 
Their  account  of  the  Esquimau.x  Indians.  Ac- 
company tiie  natives  to  their  huts.  Account  of 
our  provisions '-268 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Employ  the  towing  line.  Description  of  a  place 
--  where  the  Indians  come  to  collect  flint.  Their 
shyness  and  suspicions.  Current  lessons.  Ap- 
pearance of  the  country.  Abundance  of  hares. 
Violent  storm.  Land  near  three  lodges.  Alarm 
of  the  Indians.  Supply  of  fish  from  them.  Their 
fabulous  accounts.  Continue  to  see  Indian  lodges. 
Treatment  of  a  disease.  Misunderstanding  witli 
the  natives.  The  interpreter  harangues  them. 
Their  accounts  similar  to  those  we  have  already 
received.  Their  curious  conduct.  Purchase  some 
beaver  skins.  Shoot  one  of  their  dogs.  The  conse- 
quence of  that  act.  Apprehensions  of  the  women. 
Large  quantities  of  liquorice.  Swallows'  nests 
seen  in  the  precipices.  Fall  in  with  a  party  of  the 
natives  killing  geese.  Circumstances  concerning 
them.  Hurricane.  Variation  of  the  weather. 
Kill  great  numbers  of  geese.  Abundance  of  sev- 
eral kinds  of  berries.  State  of  the  river  and  its 
bank 3«7 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Voyage  continued.  Suspect  the  integrity  of  the 
interpreter.  Stars  visible.  Springs  of  mineral 
water,  and  lumps  of  iron  ore.  Arrive  at  the  river 
of  the  Bear  Lake.  Coal  mine  in  a  state  of  com- 
bustion. Water  of  the  river  diminished.  Con- 
tinue to  see  Indian  encampments,  and  kill  geese, 
etc.  Hunting  excursions.  A  canoe  found  on  the 
edge  of  the  wood.  Attempt  to  ascend  a  moun- 
tain. Account  of  the  passage  to  it.  See  a  few  of 
the  natives.  Kill  a  beaver  and  some  hares.  De- 
sign of  the  English  chief.  Kill  a  wolf.  Change- 
able state  of  the  weather.  Recover  the  pemmican, 
which  had  been  hidden  in  an  island.  Natives  fly 
at  our  approach.  IMeet  with  dogs.  Altercation 
with  the  English  chief.  Account  of  the  articles 
left  by  the  fugitives.  Shoals  of  the  river  covered 
with  saline  matter.  Encamp  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  of  the  mountain.  The  ground  on  fire  on 
each  side  of  it.  Continue  to  see  encampments  of 
the  natives.  Various  kinds  of  berries.  Kill  geese, 
swans,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  Corroding  quality  of  the 
water.  Weather  changeable.  Reach  the  entrance 
of  the  Slave  Lake.  Dangers  encountered  on  en- 
tering it.  Caught  pike  and  trout.  Met  M.  Le 
Roux  on  the  lake.  Further  circumstances  till  our 
return  to  Fort  Chepewyan.  Conclusion  of  the 
voyage 306 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Leave  Fort  Chepewyan.  Proceed  to  tiie  Peace 
River.  State  of  the  Lakes.  Arrive  at  Peace 
Point.  The  reason  assigned  for  its  name.  The 
weather  cold.  Arrive  at  the  Falls.  Description 
of  the  country.  Laud  at  the  Fort,  called  The  Old 
xix 


CONTENTS. 

Estalilislimciit.  The  i>riii(ii»al  Imildiiig  doslroycd 
by  lire.  Course  of  tlic  river.  Arrive  at  anoMier 
fort.  Some  account  of  tlie  natives.  Depart  from 
thence.  Courscof  the  river  continued.  It  divides 
into  two  branches.  Proceed  along  the  principal 
one.  Land  at  the  place  of  our  winter's  residence. 
Account  of  its  circumstances  and  inliabitants,  etc. 
Preparations  for  erecting  a  fort,  etc.,  etc.  Table 
of  the  weather.  Broke  the  thermometer.  Frost 
sets  in.     Description  of  birds.  .         .         .  339 


XX 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

OF    THE 

FUR  TRADE   FROM   CANADA 
TO  THE  NORTH-WEST. 

The  fur  trade,  from  the  earliest  settlement 
of  Canada,  was  considered  of  the  first  im- 
portance to  that  colony.  The  country  was 
then  so  populous,  that,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
establishments,  the  animals  whose  skins  were 
precious,  in  a  commercial  view,  soon  became 
very  scarce,  if  not  altogether  extinct.  They 
were,  it  is  true,  hunted  at  former  periods, 
but  merely  for  food  and  clothing.  The  In- 
dians, therefore,  to  procure  the  necessary 
supply,  were  encouraged  to  penetrate  into 
the  country,  and  were  generally  accompanied 
by  some  of  the  Canadians,  who  found  means 
to  induce  the  remotest  tribes  of  natives  to 
bring  the  skins  which  were  most  in  demand, 
to  their  settlements,  in  the  way  of  trade. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  examine  the 
cause,  but  experience  proves  that  it  requires 
much  less  time  for  a  civilized  people  to  de- 
viate into  the  manners  and  customs  of  savage 
life,  than  for  savages  to  rise  into  a  state  of 
civilisation.  Such  was  the  event  with  those 
xxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

who  tluis  accompanied  the  natives  on  their 
liunting  and  trading  excursions;  for  they 
became  so  attached  to  the  Indian  mode  of 
life,  tliat  they  lost  all  relish  for  their  former 
habits  and  native  homes.  Hence  they  de- 
rived the  title  of  Courenrs  drs  Bois,  became 
a  kind  of  pedlars,  and  were  extremely  useful 
to  the  merchants  engaged  in  tlie  fur  trade ; 
who  gave  them  the  necessary  credit  to  pro- 
ceed on  their  commercial  undertakings. 
Three  or  four  of  these  people  would  join 
their  stock,  put  their  property  into  a  birch- 
bark  canoe,  which  they  worked  themselv^es, 
and  either  accompanied  the  natives  in  their 
excursions,  or  went  at  once  to  the  country 
where  they  knew  they  were  to  hunt.  At 
length,  these  voyages  extended  to  twelve  or 
fifteen  months,  when  they  returned  with  rich 
cargoes  of  furs,  and  followed  by  great  num- 
bers of  the  natives.  During  the  short  time 
requisite  to  settle  their  accounts  with  the 
merchants,  and  procure  fresh  credit,  they 
generally  contrived  to  squander  away  all  their 
gains,  when  they  returned  to  renew  their 
favourite  mode  of  life :  their  views  being  an- 
swered, and  their  labour  sufficiently  rewarded, 
by  indulging  tliemselves  in  extravagance  and 
dissipation,  during  the  short  space  of  one 
month  in  twelve  or  fifteen. 

This  indifference  about  amassing  property, 
and  the  pleasure  of  living  free  from  all  re- 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

straint,  soon  brought  on  a  licentiousness  of 
manners  which  coukl  not  long  escape  the 
vigilant  observation  of  the  missionaries,  who 
had  much  reason  to  complain  of  their  being 
a  disgrace  to  the  Christian  religion ;  by  not 
only  swerving  from  its  duties  themselves,  but 
by  thus  bringing  it  into  disrepute  with  those 
of  the  natives  who  had  become  converts  to 
it;  and,  consequently,  obstructing  the  great 
object  to  which  those  pious  men  had  devoted 
their  lives.  They  therefore  exerted  their  in- 
fluence to  procure  the  suppression  of  these 
people,  and  accordingly,  no  one  was  allowed 
to  go  up  the  country  to  traffic  with  the  In- 
dians, without  a  license  from  the  government. 

At  first  these  permissions  were,  of  course, 
granted  only  to  those  whose  character  was 
such  as  could  give  no  alarm  to  the  zeal  of  the 
missionaries :  but  they  were  afterwards  be- 
stowed as  rewards  for  services,  on  officers, 
and  their  widows ;  and  they,  who  were  not 
willing  or  able  to  make  use  of  them  (which 
may  be  supposed  to  be  always  the  case  with 
those  of  the  latter  description),  were  allowed 
to  sell  them  to  the  merchants,  who  neces- 
sarily employed  the  Coureurs  des  bois,  in 
quality  of  their  agents ;  and  these  people,  as 
may  be  imagined,  gave  sufficient  cause  for  the 
renewal  of  former  complaints ;  so  that  the  rem- 
edy proved,  in  fact,  worse  than  the  disease. 

At  length,  military  posts  were  established 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

at  the  confluence  of  the  different  large  lakes 
of  Canada,  which,  in  a  great  nieasure  checked 
the  evil  consequences  that  followed  from  the 
improper  conduct  of  these  foresters,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  protected  the  trade.     Besides, 
a  number  of  able  and  respectable  men,  retired 
from  the  army,  prosecuted  the  trade  in  per- 
son,   under    their   respective    licences,    with 
great  order  and  regularity,  and  extended  it 
to  such  a  distance,    as,   in  those  days,  was 
considered  to  be  an  astonishing  effort  of  com- 
mercial enterprize.      These  persons  and  the 
missionaries  having  combined  their  views  at 
the  same    time,  secured   the  respect  of  the 
natives,  and  the  obedience  of  the  people  neces- 
sarily employed  in  the  laborious  parts  of  this 
undertaking.     These  gentlemen  denominated 
themselves    commanders,    and   not    traders, 
though  they  were  entitled  to  both  those  char- 
acters :  and,  as  for  the  missionaries,  if  suffer- 
ings and  hardships  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
great  work  Avhich  they  liad  undertaken,  de- 
served applause  and  admiration,  they  had  an 
undoubted  clauu  to  be  admired  and  ai)plauded : 
they  spared  no  labour  and  avoided  no  danger 
in  the   execution  of  their   im})ortant   ofHce ; 
and  it  is  to  be  seriously  lamented,  that  their 
pious  endeavours  did  not  meet  with  the  suc- 
cess which  they  deserved :  for  there  is  hardly 
a  trace  to  be  found  beyond  the   cultivated 
parts,  of  their  meritorious  functions, 
xxiv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

The  cause  of  this  f  aihire  must  be  attributed 
to  a  want  of  due  consideration  in  the  mode 
employed  by  the  missionaries,  to  propagate 
the  religion  of  which  they  were  the  zealous 
ministers.  They  habituated  themselves  to 
the  savage  life,  and  naturalized  themselves 
to  the  savage  manners,  and,  by  thus  becoming 
dependent,  as  it  were,  on  the  natives,  they 
acquired  their  contempt  rather  than  their  ven- 
eration. If  they  had  been  as  well  acquainted 
with  human  nature,  as  they  were  with  the 
articles  of  their  faith,  they  would  have  known 
that  the  uncultivated  mind  of  an  Indian  must 
be  disposed  by  much  preparatory  method  and 
instruction  to  receive  the  revealed  truths  of 
Christianity,  to  act  under  its  sanctions,  and 
be  impelled  to  good  by  the  hope  of  its  re- 
ward, or  turned  from  evil  by  the  fear  of  its 
punishments.  They  should  have  begun  their 
work  by  teaching  some  of  those  useful  arts 
which  are  the  inlets  of  knowledge,  and  lead 
the  mind  by  degrees  to  objects  of  higher  com- 
prehension. Agriculture,  so  formed  to  fix 
and  combine  society,  and  so  preparatory  to 
objects  of  superior  consideration,  should  have 
been  the  first  thing  introduced  among  a  sav- 
age people :  it  attaches  the  wandering  tribe 
to  that  spot  where  it  adds  so  much  to  their 
comforts;  while  it  gives  them  a  sense  of 
})roperty,  and  of  lasting  possession,  instead 
of  the  uncertain  hopes  of  tlie  chase,  and  tlic 

XXV 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

fugitive  produce  of  uncultivated  wilds.  Such 
were  the  means  by  which  the  forests  of  Para- 
guay Avere  converted  into  a  scene  of  abundant 
cultivation,  and  its  savage  inhabitants  intro- 
duced to  all  the  advantages  of  a  civilised  life. 

Tlie  Canadian  missionaries  should  have 
been  contented  to  improve  the  morals  of  their 
own  countrymen,  so  that  by  meliorating  their 
character  and  conduct,  they  would  have  given 
a  striking  example  of  the  eifect  of  religion  in 
promoting  the  comforts  of  life  to  the  sur- 
rounding savages;  and  might  by  degrees  have 
extended  its  benign  influence  to  the  remotest 
regions  of  that  country,  which  was  the  ob- 
ject, and  intended  to  be  the  scene,  of  their 
evangelical  labours.  But  by  bearing  the 
light  of  the  Gospel  at  once  to  the  distance  of 
two  thousand  five  hundred  miles  from  the 
civilised  part  of  the  colonies,  it  was  soon  ob- 
scured by  the  cloud  of  ignorance  that  dark- 
ened the  human  mind  in  those  distant  regions. 

The  whole  of  their  long  route  I  have  often 
travelled,  and  the  recollection  of  such  a  peo- 
ple as  the  missionaries  having  been  there,  was 
confined  to  a  few  superannuated  Canadians, 
Avho  had  not  left  that  country  since  the  cession 
to  the  English,  in  1703,  and  who  particularly 
mentioned  the  death  of  some,  and  the  dis- 
tressing situation  of  them  all.  But  if  these 
religious  men  did  not  attain  the  objects  of 
their  persevering  piety,  they  were,  during 
xxvi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

their  mission,  of  great  service  to  the  com- 
manders who  engaged  in  those  distant  expedi- 
tions, and  spread  the  fur  trade  as  far  West 
as  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchiwine  river,  in 
53.  North  latitude,  and  longitude  102.  West. 

At  an  early  period  of  their  intercourse  with 
the  savages,  a  custom  was  introduced  of  a 
very  excellent  tendency,  but  is  now  unfortu- 
nately discontinued,  of  not  selling  any  spiritu- 
ous liquor  to  the  natives.  This  admirable 
regulation  was  for  some  time  observed,  with 
all  the  respect  due  to  the  religion  by  which 
it  was  sanctioned,  and  whose  severest  censures 
followed  the  violation  of  it.  A  painful  pen- 
ance could  alone  restore  the  offender  to  the 
suspended  rites  of  the  sacrament.  The  casu- 
istry of  trade,  however,  discovered  a  way  to 
gratify  the  Indians  with  their  favourite  cordial 
without  incurring  the  ecclesiastical  penalties, 
by  giving,  mstead  of  selling  it  to  them. 

But  notwithstanding  all  the  restrictions 
with  which  commerce  was  oppressed  under 
the  French  government,  the  fur  trade  was 
extended  to  the  immense  distance  which  has 
been  already  stated;  and  surmounted  many 
most  discouraging  difficulties,  which  will  be 
hereafter  noticed ;  while,  at  the  same  time, 
no  exertions  were  made  from  Hudson's  Bay 
to  obtain  even  a  share  of  the  trade  of  a  coun- 
try, which  according  to  the  charter  of  that 
company,  belonged  to  it,  and,  from  its  prox- 
xxvii 


A  GENERA  I.    HISTORY 

imity,  is  so  much  move  accessible  to  the  mer- 
cantile adventurer. 

Of  these  trading  commanders,  I  understood, 
that  two  attempted  to  penetrate  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  but  the  utmost  extent  of  their  journey 
1  could  never  learn  ;  which  may  be  attributed, 
indeed,  to  a  failure  of  the  undertaking. 

For  some  time  after  the  conquest  of  Canada, 
this  trade  was  suspended,  Avhich  must  have 
been  very  advantageous  to  the  Hudson' s-Bay 
Company,  as  all  tlie  inhabitants  to  the  west- 
ward of  Lake  Superior  were  obliged  to  go  to 
them  for  such  articles  as  their  habitual  use 
had  rendered  necessary.  Some  of  the  Cana- 
dians who  had  lived  long  with  them,  and 
were  become  attached  to  a  savage  life,  accom- 
panied them  thither  annually,  till  mercantile 
adventurers  again  appeared  from  their  own 
country,  after  an  interval  of  several  years, 
owing,  as  I  suppose,  to  an  ignorance  of  the 
country  in  the  conquerors,  and  their  want 
of  commercial  confidence  in  the  conquered. 
There  were,  indeed,  other  discouragements, 
such  as  the  immense  length  of  the  journey 
necessary  to  reach  the  limits  beyond  which 
this  commerce  must  begin ;  the  risk  of  prop- 
erty ;  the  expenses  attending  such  a  long 
transport ;  and  an  ignorance  of  the  language 
of  those  who,  from  their  experience,  must  be 
necessarily  employed  as  the  intermediate 
agents  between  them  and  the  natives.  But, 
xxviii 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

notwithstanding  these  difficulties,  the  trade, 
by  degrees,  began  to  spread  over  the  differ- 
ent parts  to  which  it  had  been  carried  by  the 
French,  though  at  a  great  risk  of  the  lives, 
as  well  as  the  property  of  their  new  posses- 
sors, for  the  natives  had  been  taught  by  their 
former  allies  to  entertain  hostile  dispositions 
towards  the  English,  from  their  having  been 
in  alliance  with  their  natural  enemies  the 
Iroquois ;  and  there  were  not  wanting  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  discontented,  disappointed 
people,  to  keep  aliv^e  such  a  notion ;  so  that 
for  a  long  time  they  were  considered  and 
treated  as  objects  of  hostility.  To  prove 
this  disposition  of  the  Indians,  we  have  only 
to  refer  to  the  conduct  of  Pontiac,  at  Detroit, 
and  the  surprise  and  taking  of  Michilimakinac, 
about  this  period. 

Hence  it  arose,  that  it  was  so  late  as  the 
year  1766,  before  which,  the  trade  I  mean 
to  consider,  commenced  from  Michilimakinac. 
The  first  who  attempted  it  were  satisfied  to 
go  the  length  of  the  river  Camenistiquia, 
about  thirty  miles  to  the  Eastward  of  the 
Grande  Portage,  where  the  French  had  a 
principal  establishment,  and  was  the  line  of 
their  communication  with  the  interior  coun- 
try. It  was  once  destroyed  by  fire.  Here 
they  went  and  returned  successful  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring  to  Michilimakinac.  Their  suc- 
cess induced  them  to  renew  their  journey, 
xxix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

and  incited  others  to  follow  their  example. 
Some '  of  them  remained  at  Camenistiquia, 
while  others  proceeded  to  and  beyond  the 
Grande  Portage,  which,  since  that  time  has 
become  the  principal  entrepot  of  that  trade, 
and  is  situated  in  a  bay,  in  latitude  48.  North, 
and  longitude  90.  West.  After  passing  the 
usual  season  there,  they  went  back  to  Michili- 
makinac  as  before,  and  encouraged  by  the 
trade,  returned  in  inisreased  numbers.  One 
of  these,  Thomas  Curry,  with  a  spirit  of  en- 
terprize  superior  to  that  of  his  contemporaries, 
determined  to  penetrate  to  the  furthest  limits 
of  the  French  discoveries  in  that  country ;  or 
at  least  till  the  frost  should  stop  him.  For 
this  purj^ose  he  procured  guides  and  inter- 
preters, who  were  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try, and  with  four  canoes  arrived  at  Fort 
Bourbon,  which  Avas  one  of  their  posts,  at 
the  \Yest  end  of  the  Cedar  Lake,  on  the 
Avaters  of  the  Saskatchiwine.  His  risk  and 
toil  were  Avell  recompensed,  for  he  came  back 
the  following  spring  with  his  canoes  filled 
with  fine  furs,  with  which  he  proceeded  to 
Canada,  and  was  satisfied  never  again  to  re- 
turn to  the  Indian  country. 

From  this  period,  people  began  to  spread 
over  every  part  of  the  country,  particularly 
where  the  French  had  established  settlements. 

Mr.  James  Finlay  was  the  first  who  fol- 
lowed Mr.   Curry's  example,   and  with  the 

XXX 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  *&c. 

same  number  of  canoes,  arrived,  in  tlie  course 
of  the  next  season,  at  Nipawee,  the  last  of 
the  French  settlements  on  the  bank  of  the 
Saskatchiwine  river,  in  latitude  nearly  43^. 
North,  and  longitude  103.  West:  he  found 
the  good  fortune,  as  he  followed,  in  every 
respect,  the  example,  of  his  predecessor. 

As  may  be  supposed,  there  were  now  peo- 
ple enough  ready  to  replace  them,  and  the 
trade  was  pursued  with  such  avidity,  and 
irregularity,  that  in  a  few  years  it  became 
the  reverse  of  what  it  ought  to  have  been. 
An  animated  competition  prevailed,  and  the 
contending  parties  carried  the  trade  beyond 
the  French  limits,  though  with  no  benefit  to 
themselves  or  neighbours,  the  Hudson's-Bay 
Company ;  who  in  the  year  1774,  and  not  till 
then,  thought  proper  to  move  from  home  to 
the  East  bank  of  Sturgeon  Lake,  in  latitude 
53.  56.  North,  and  longitude  102.  15.  West, 
and  became  more  jealous  of  their  fellow  sub- 
jects; and,  perhaps,  with  more  cause,  than 
they  had  been  of  those  of  France.  From  this 
period,  to  the  present  time,  they  have  been 
following  the  Canadians  to  their  different 
establishments,  while,  on  the  contrary,  there 
is  not  a  solitary  instance  that  the  Canadians 
have  followed  them ;  and  there  are  many  trad- 
ing posts  which  they  have  not  yet  attained. 
This,  however,  will  no  longer  be  a  mystery, 
when  the  nature  and  policy  of  the  Hudson' s- 
xxxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

Bay  (!()iupauy  is  eoiiijjaivd  witli  tliat  wlii(!li 
has  been  pursued  by  their  rivals  in  this  trade. 
— J^ut  to  return  to  my  subject. 

This  competition,  which  has  been  already 
mentioned,  gave  a  fatal  blow  to  the  trade 
from  Canada,  and,  with  other  incidental 
causes,  in  my  ojjinion,  contributed  to  its  ruin. 
Til  is  trade  was  carried  on  in  a  very  distant 
country,  out  of  the  reach  of  legal  restraint, 
and  Avhere  there  was  a  free  scope  given  to 
any  ways  or  means  in  attaining  advantage. 
The  consequence  was  not  only  the  loss  of 
commercial  benefit  to  the  persons  engaged  in 
it,  but  of  the  good  opinion  of  the  natives, 
and  the  respect  of  their  men,  who  were  in- 
clined to  follow  their  example ;  so  that  with 
drinking,  carousing,  and  quarrelling  with  the 
Indians  along  their  route,  and  among  them- 
selves, they  seldom  reached  their  winter 
quarters;  and  if  they  did,  it  was  generally 
by  dragging  their  property  upon  sledges,  as 
the  navigation  was  closed  up  by  the  frost. 
When  at  length  they  were  arrived,  the  object 
of  each  was  to  injure  his  rival  traders  in  the 
opinion  of  the  natives  as  much  as  was  in  their 
power,  by  misrepresentation  and  presents,  for 
Avhich  the  agents  employed  were  peculiarly 
calculated.  They  considered  the  command 
of  their  employer  as  binding  on  them,  and 
however  wrong  or  irregular  the  transaction, 
the  responsibility  rested  with  the  principal 
xxxii 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

who  directed  them.  This  is  Indian  law. 
Thus  did  they  waste  their  credit  and  their 
property  with  the  natives,  till  the  first  was 
past  redemption,  and  the  last  was  nearly  ex- 
hausted ;  so  that  towards  the  spring  in  each 
year,  the  rival  parties  found  it  absolutely 
necessary  to  join,  and  make  one  common 
stock  of  what  remained,  for  the  purpose  of 
trading  with  the  natives,  who  could  enter- 
tain no  respect  for  persons  who  had  conducted 
themselves  with  so  much  irregularity  and 
deceit.  The  winter,  therefore,  was  one  con- 
tinued scene  of  disagreements  and  quarrels. 
If  any  one  had  the  precaution  or  good  sense 
to  keep  clear  of  these  proceedings,  he  derived 
a  proportionable  advantage  from  his  good 
conduct,  and  frequently  proved  a  peacemaker 
between  the  parties.  To  such  an  height  had 
they  carried  this  licentious  conduct,  that  they 
were  in  a  continual  state  of  alarm,  and  were 
even  frequently  stopped  to  pay  tribute  on 
their  route  into  the  country;  though  they 
had  adopted  the  plan  of  travelling  together 
in  parties  of  thirty  or  forty  canoes,  and  keep- 
ing their  men  armed;  which  sometimes,  in- 
deed, proved  necessary  for  their  defence. 

Thus  was  the  trade  carried  on  for  several 
years,  and  consequently  becoming  worse  and 
worse,  so  that  the  partners,  who  met  them  at 
the  Grande  Portage,  naturally  complained  of 
their  ill  success.  But  specious  reasons  were 
3  xxxiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

always  ready  to  prove  that  it  arose  from  cir- 
cumstances which  they  could  not  at  that  time 
control ;  and  encouragements  were  held  forth 
to  hope  that  a  change  would  soon  take  i)lace, 
which  would  make  ample  amends  for  past 
disappointments. 

It  was  about  this  time,  that  Mr.  Joseph 
Frobisher,  one  of  the  gentlemen  engaged  in 
the  trade,  determined  to  penetrate  into  the 
country  yet  unex[)lored,  to  the  North  and 
^^'estward,  and,  in  the  spring  of  the  year 
1775,  met  the  Indians  from  that  quarter  on 
their  way  to  Fort  ('hurehill,  at  Portage  de 
Traite,  so  named  from  that  circumstance,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Missiui})i,  or  Cliurehill  river, 
latitude  55.  25.  North,  longitude  103i.  West. 
It  was  indeed,  with  some  difficulty  that  he 
could  induce  them  to  trade  with  liim,  but  he 
at  length  procured  as  many  furs  as  his  canoes 
could  carry.  In  this  perilous  expedition  he 
sustained  every  kind  of  hardship  incident  to 
a  journey  through  a  wild  and  savage  country, 
where  his  subsistence  depended  on  what  the 
woods  and  the  waters  produced.  These  diffi- 
culties, nevertheless,  did  not  discourage  him 
from  returning  in  the  following  year,  when 
he  was  equally  successful.  He  then  sent  his 
brother  to  explore  the  country  still  further 
West,  who  penetrated  as  far  as  the  lake  of 
Isle  a  la  Crosse,  in  latitude  55.  26.  North, 
and  longitude  108.  West, 
xxxiv 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE.  &c. 

He,  however,  never  after  wintered  among 
the  Indians,  though  he  retained  a  large  inter- 
est in  the  trade,  and  a  principal  share  in  the 
direction  of  it  till  the  year  1798,  when  he  re- 
tired to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labours;  and, 
by  his  hosjiitality,  became  known  to  every 
respectable  stranger  who  visited  Canada. 

The  success  of  this  gentleman  induced 
others  to  follow  his  example,  and  in  the 
spring  of  the  year  1778,  some  of  the  traders 
on  the  Saskatchiwine  river,  finding  they  had 
a  quantity  of  goods  to  spare,  agreed  to  put 
them  into  a  joint  stock,  and  gave  the  charge 
and  management  of  them  to  Mr.  Peter  Pond, 
who,  in  four  canoes,  was  directed  to  enter  the 
English  River,  so  called  by  Mr.  Frobisher,  to 
follow  his  track,  and  proceed  still  further ;  if 
possible,  to  Athabasca,  a  country  hitherto 
unknown  but  from  Indian  report.  In  this 
enterprise  he  at  length  succeeded  and  pitched 
his  tent  on  the  banks  of  the  Elk  river,  by  him 
erroneously  called  the  Athabasca  river,  about 
forty  miles  from  the  Lake  of  the  Hills,  into 
which  it  empties  itself. 

Here  he  passed  the  winter  of  1778-9 ;  saw 
a  vast  concourse  of  the  Knisteneaux  and 
Chepewyan  tribes,  who  used  to  carry  their 
furs  annually  to  Churchill;  the  latter  by  the 
barren  grounds,  where  they  suffered  iniui- 
merable  liardships,  and  were  sometimes  even 
starved  to  deutli.      Tlie   former  rullovvcd  the 

XXXV 


A  GENKIJAI.    HISTORY 

course  of  the  hikes  and  rivers,  through  a 
country  that  abounded  in  animals,  and  where 
there  was  i)kMity  of  tish  :  but  though  they  did 
not  suffer  from  want  of  food,  the  intolerable 
fatigue  of  such  a  journey  could  not  he  easily 
repaid  to  an  Indian :  they  were,  therefore, 
highly  gratified  by  seeing  people  come  to  their 
country  to  relieve  them  from  such  long,  toil- 
some, and  dangerous  journeys;  and  were 
immediately  reconciled  to  give  an  advanced 
price  for  the  articles  necessary  to  their  com- 
fort and  convenience.  Mr.  Pond's  reception 
and  success  Avas  accordingly  beyond  his  ex- 
pectation ;  and  he  procured  twice  as  many 
furs  as  his  canoes  would  carry.  They  also 
supplied  him  with  as  much  provision  as  he 
required  during  his  residence  among  them, 
and  sufficient  for  his  homeward  voyage. 
Such  of  the  furs  as  he  could  not  embark,  he 
secured  in  one  of  his  winter  huts,  and  they 
were  found  the  following  season,  in  the  same 
state  in  which  he  left  them. 

These,  however,  were  but  partial  advan- 
tages, and  could  not  prevent  the  people  of 
Canada  from  seeing  the  improper  conduct  of 
some  of  their  associates,  which  rendered  it 
dangerous  to  remain  any  longer  among  the 
natives.  Most  of  them  wlu)  ])assed  tlie  winter 
at  the  Saskatchiwine,  got  to  the  Eagle  hills, 
where,  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1780,  a  few 
days  previous  to  their  intended  departure,  a 
XXX  vi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE.  &c. 

large  band  of  Indians  being  engaged  in  drink- 
ing abont  their  houses,  one  of  the  traders,  to 
ease  himself  of  the  troublesome  importunities 
of  a  native,  gave  hiia  a  dose  of  laudanum  in 
a  glass  of  grog,  which  effectually  prevented 
him  from  giving  further  trouble  to  any  one, 
by  setting  him  asleep  for  ever.  This  accident 
produced  a  fray,  in  which  one  of  the  traders, 
and  several  of  the  men  were  killed,  while  the 
rest  had  no  other  means  to  save  themselves 
but  by  a  precipitate  flight,  abandoning  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  goods,  and  near  half  the 
furs  which  they  had  collected  during  the 
winter  and  the  spring. 

About  the  same  time,  two  of  the  establish- 
ments on  the  Assiniboin  river,  were  attacked 
with  less  justice,  when  several  white  men,  and 
a  great  number  of  Indians  were  killed.  In 
short,  it  appeared,  that  the  natives  had 
formed  a  resolution  to  extirpate  the  traders ; 
and,  without  entering  into  any  further  reason- 
ings on  the  subject,  it  appears  to  be  incon- 
trovertible, that  the  irregularity  pursued  in 
carrying  on  the  trade  has  brought  it  into  its 
present  forlorn  situation ;  and  nothing  but 
the  greatest  calamity  that  could  have  befallen 
the  natives,  saved  the  traders  from  destruc- 
tion :  this  was  the  small-pox,  Avhich  spread 
its  destructive  and  desolating  power,  as  the 
fire  consumes  the  dry  grass  of  the  field.  The 
fatal  infection  spread  around  with  a  baneful 
xxxvii 


A   GENERAL   HISTORY 

rapidit}'  wliieh  no  liight  could  escape,  and 
with  a  fatal  effect  that  nothing  could  resist. 
It  destroyed  with  its  pestilential  breath  whole 
families  and  tribes;  and  the  horrid  scene 
presented  to  those  who  had  the  nielancholy 
and  afflicting  opportunity  of  beholding  it,  a 
combination  of  the  dead,  the  dying,  and  such 
as  to  avoid  the  hori'id  fate  of  their  friends 
around  them,  prepared  to  disai)])oint  the 
plague  of  its  prey,  by  terminating  their  own 
existence. 

The  habits  and  lives  of  these  devoted  peo- 
ple, which  provided  not  to-day  for  the  wants 
of  to-morrow,  must  have  heightened  the  pains 
of  siudi  an  aftiictiou,  by  leaving  them  not  only 
without  remedy,  but  even  without  alleviation. 
Naught  was  left  them  but  to  sul)niit  in  agony 
and  despair. 

To  aggravate  the  picture,  if  aggravation 
were  possible,  may  be  added,  the  putrid  car- 
cases which  the  wolves,  with  a  furious  voi-ac 
ity,  dragged  forth  from  the  huts,  or  which 
were  mangled  within  them  l)y  the  dogs,  whose 
hiniger  was  satisfied  with  the  disfigxired  re- 
mains of  their  masters.  Kor  was  it  uncom- 
mon for  the  father  of  a  family,  whom  the 
infection  had  not  reached,  to  call  them  around 
him.  to  re])resent  the  cruel  sufferings  and 
horrid  fatf  of  their  relations,  from  the  infiii- 
ence  of  some  evil  spirit  who  Avas  ])reparing  to 
extirpate   their  race ;  and  to  incite  them  to 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

baffle  death,  -with  all  its  horrors,  by  their  own 
poniards.  At  the  same  time,  if  their  hearts 
failed  them  in  this  necessary  act,  he  was 
himself  ready  to  perform  the  deed  of  mercy 
with  his  own  hand,  as  the  last  act  of  his 
affection,  and  instantly  to  follow  them  to  the 
common  place  of  rest  and  refuge  from  human 
evil. 

It  was  never  satisfactorily  ascertained  b}^ 
what  means  this  malignant  disorder  was  in- 
troduced, but  it  was  generally  supposed  to  be 
from  the  Missisouri,  by  a  war  party. 

The  consequence  of  this  melancholy  event 
to  the  traders  must  be  self-evident ;  the  means 
of  disposing  of  their  goods  were  cut  off;  and 
no  furs  were  obtained,  but  such  as  had  been 
gathered  from  the  habitations  of  the  deceased 
Indians,  which  could  not  be  very  consider- 
able: nor  did  they  look  from  the  losses  of 
the  present  year,  with  any  encouraging  ex- 
pectations to  those  which  were  to  come.  The 
only  fortunate  people  consisted  of  a  party 
who  had  again  penetrated  to  the  Northward 
and  Westward  in  1780,  at  some  distance 
up  the  Missinipi,  or  English  river,  to  Lake 
la  Rouge.  Two  unfortunate  circumstances, 
however,  happened  to  them;  which  are  as 
follow : 

Mr.  Wadin,  a  Swiss  gentleman,  of  strict 
probity  and  known  sobriety,  had  gone  there 
in  the  year  1779,  and  remained  during  the 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

summer  of  1780.  His  partners  and  others, 
engaged  in  an  opposite  interest,  wlien  at  the 
Grande  Portage,  agreed  to  send  a  (piantity  of 
goods  on  their  joint  account,  which  was  ac- 
cepted, and  j\[r.  Pond  was  proposed  by  them 
to  be  their  representative  to  act  in  cunjunc- 
tion  with  Mr.  Wadin.  Two  men,  of  more 
opposite  characters,  coukl  not,  perhaps,  have 
been  found.  In  short,  from  various  causes, 
their  situations  became  very  uncomfortable 
to  each  other,  and  mutual  ill-will  was  the 
natural  consequence  :  without  entering,  there- 
fore, into  a  minute  history  of  these  transac- 
tions, it  will  be  sufficient  to  observe,  that, 
about  tlie  end  of  the  year  1780,  or  the  begin- 
ning of  1781,  Mr.  Wadin  had  received  Mr. 
Pond  and  one  of  his  own  clerks  to  dinner; 
and,  in  the  course  of  the  night,  the  former 
was  shot  through  the  lower  part  of  the  thigh, 
when  it  was  said  that  he  expired  from  the 
loss  of  blood,  and  was  bviried  next  morning 
at  eight  o'clock.  ^Ir.  Pond,  and  the  clerk, 
Avere  tried  for  this  murder  at  Montreal,  and 
acquitted :  nevertheless,  their  innocence  was 
not  so  apparent  as  to  extinguish  the  original 
suspicion. 

The  other  circumstance  was  this.  In  the 
spring  of  the  year,  Mr.  Pond  sent  the  above- 
mentioned  clerk  to  meet  the  Indians  from  tlie 
Northward,  who  used  to  go  annually  to  Hud- 
son's Bay  ;  when  he  easily  persuaded  them  to 
xl 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

trade  with  him,  and  return  back,  that  they 
might  not  take  the  contagion  which  had  de- 
populated the  country  to  the  Eastward  of 
them :  but  most  unfortunately  they  caught  it 
here,  and  carried  it  with  them,  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  themselves  and  the  neighbouring  tribes. 
Tlie  country  being  thus  depopulated,  the 
traders  and  their  friends  from  Canada,  who, 
from  various  causes  already  mentioned,  were 
very  much  reduced  in  number,  became  confined 
to  two  parties,  who  began  seriously  to  think 
of  making  permanent  establishments  on  the 
Missinipi  river,  and  at  Athabasca ;  for  which 
purpose,  in  1781-2,  they  selected  their  best 
canoe-men,  being  ignorant  that  the  small-pox 
penetrated  that  way.  The  most  expeditious 
party  got  only  in  time  to  the  Portage  la  Loche, 
or  Mithy-Ouinigam,  which  divides  the  waters 
of  the  Missinipi  from  those  that  fall  into  the 
Elk  river,  to  despatch  one  canoe  strong- 
handed,  and  light-loaded,  to  that  country; 
but,  on  their  arrival  there,  they  found,  in 
every  direction,  the  ravages  of  the  small-pox  ; 
so  that,  from  the  great  diminution  of  the 
natives,  they  returned  in  the  spring  with  no 
more  than  seven  packages  of  beaver.  The 
strong  woods  and  mountainous  countries 
afforded  a  refuge  to  those  who  fled  fj-oni  the 
contagion  of  the  plains ;  but  they  were  so 
alarmed  at  the  surrounding  destruction,  that 
they  avoided  the  traders,  and  were  dispirited 
xli 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

from  hunting,  except  for  their  subsistence. 
The  traders,  however,  who  returned  into  the 
country  in  the  year  1782-3,  found  the  in- 
habitants in  some  sort  of  tranquillity,  and 
more  numerous  tlian  they  had  reason  to  ex- 
]tect,  so  that  their  success  was  ])r()])()rtion- 
al)ly  better. 

During  the  winter  of  1783-4,  the  mer- 
chants of  Canada,  engaged  in  this  trade, 
formed  a  junction  of  interests,  under  the 
name  of  the  North- West  Company,  and  di- 
vided it  into  sixteen  shares,  without  deposit- 
ing any  capital ;  each  i)arty  furnishing  a  pro- 
portion or  quota  of  such  articles  as  were 
necessary  to  carry  on  the  trade :  the  respec- 
tive parties  agreeing  to  satisfy  the  friends 
they  had  in  the  country,  who  were  not  pro- 
vided for,  according  to  this  agreement,  out 
of  the  proportions  which  they  held.  The 
management  of  the  whole  was  accordingly 
entrusted  to  Messrs.  Benjamin  and  Josei)h 
Frobisher,  and  Mr.  Suuon  jVI'Tavish,  two 
distinct  houses,  who  had  the  greatest  interest 
and  influence  in  the  country,  and  for  which 
they  were  to  receive  a  stipulated  commission 
in  all  transactions. 

In  the  spring,  two  of  those  gentlemen  went 
to  the  Grande  Portage  with  their  credentials, 
which  were  confirmed  and  ratified  by  all  the 
])arties  having  an  option,  excei)t  ]\Ir.  l^eter 
Pond,  who  was  not  satisfied  with  the  share 
xlii 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

allotted  him.  Accordingly  he,  and  another 
gentleman,  Mr.  Peter  Pangmau,  who  had  a 
right  to  be  a  partner,  but  for  whom  no  pro- 
vision had  been  made,  came  to  Canada,  Avith 
a  determination  to  return  to  the  country,  if 
they  could  find  any  persons  to  join  them,  and 
give  their  scheme  a  proper  support. 

The  traders  in  the  country,  and  merchants 
at  Montreal,  thus  entered  into  a  co-partner- 
ship, which,  by  these  means,  was  consolidated 
and  directed  by  able  men,  who,  from  the 
poAvers  with  which  they  were  entrusted, 
would  carry  on  the  trade  to  the  utmost  ex- 
tent it  would  bear.  The  traders  in  the  coun- 
try, therefore,  having  every  reason  to  expect 
that  their  past  and  future  labours  would  be 
recompensed,  forgot  all  their  former  animosi- 
ties, and  engaged  with  the  utmost  spirit  and 
activity,  to  forward  the  general  interest ;  so 
that,  in  the  following  year,  they  met  their 
agents  at  the  Grande  Portage,  with  their 
canoes  laden  with  rich  furs  from  the  different 
parts  of  that  immense  tract  of  country.  But 
this  satisfaction  was  not  to  be  enjoyed  with- 
out some  interruption ;  and  they  were  mor- 
tified to  find  that  Mr.  Pangman  had  prevailed 
on  Messrs.  Gregory  and  Macleod  to  join  him, 
and  give  him  their  support  in  the  business, 
though  deserted  by  Mr.  Pond,  who  accepted 
the  terms  offered  by  his  former  associates. 

In  the  counting-house  of  Mr.  Gregory  I 
xliii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

had  been  five  years;  and  at  this  [jeriod  had 
left  him,  with  a  siuall  adventure  of  goods, 
with  which  he  had  entrusted  mo,  to  seek  my 
fortune  at  Detroit.  He,  without  any  solici- 
tation on  my  part,  had  procured  an  ins(Mti()n 
iu  the  agreement,  that  I  should  be  admitted 
a  partner  in  this  business,  on  condition  that 
I  would  proceed  to  the  Indian  country  in  the 
following  spring,  1  "80.  His  partner  came  to 
Detroit  to  make  me  such  a  proposition.  I 
readily  assented  to  it,  and  immediately  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Grande  Portage,  where  I  joined 
my  associates. 

We  now  found  that  independent  of  the 
natural  difficulties  of  the  undertaking,  we 
should  have  to  encounter  every  other  which 
they,  Avho  were  already  in  possession  of  the 
trade  of  the  country,  could  throw  in  our  way, 
and  which  their  circumstances  enabled  them 
to  do.  Nor  did  they  doubt,  from  their  own 
superior  experience,  as  Avell  as  that  of  their 
clerks  and  men,  with  their  local  knowledge 
of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants,  that  they 
should  soon  compel  us  to  leave  the  country 
to  them.  The  event,  however,  did  not  justify 
their  expectations;  for,  after  the  severest 
struggle  ever  known  in  that  part  of  the  world, 
and  suffering  every  oppression  which  a  jeal- 
ous and  rival  spirit  could  instigate ;  after  the 
mnrder  of  one  of  our  partners,  the  laming  of 
another,  and  the  narrow  escape  of  one  of  our 
xliv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

clerks,  who  received  a  bullet  through  his 
powder  horn,  in  the  execution  of  his  duty, 
they  were  compelled  to  allow  us  a  share  of 
the  trade.  As  Ave  had  already  incurred  a 
loss,  this  union  was,  in  every  respect,  a  de- 
sirable event  to  us,  and  was  concluded  in  the 
month  of  July,  1787. 

This  commercial  establishment  was  now 
founded  on  a  more  solid  basis  than  any  hither- 
to known  in  the  country ;  and  it  not  only 
continued  in  full  force,  vigour,  and  prosper- 
ity, in  spite  of  all  interference  from  Canada, 
but  maintained  at  least  an  equal  share  of 
advantage  with  the  Hudson's-Bay  Company, 
notwithstanding  the  superiority  of  their  local 
situation.  The  following  account  of  this  self- 
erected  concern  will  manifest  the  cause  of  its 
siiccess. 

It  assumed  the  title  of  the  North-West 
Company,  and  was  no  more  than  an  associa- 
tion of  commercial  men,  agreeing  among 
themselves  to  carry  on  the  fur  trade,  uncon- 
nected with  any  other  business,  though  many 
of  the  parties  engaged  had  extensive  concerns 
altogether  foreign  to  it.  It  may  be  said  to 
have  been  supported  entirely  upon  credit; 
for,  whether  the  capital  belonged  to  the  pro- 
prietor, or  was  borrowed,  it  equally  bore  in- 
terest, for  which  the  association  was  annually 
accountable.  It  consisted  of  twenty  shares, 
unequally  divided  among  the  persons  con- 
xlv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

cerned.  Of  these,  a  certain  i)ioportion  was 
held  by  tlie  people  who  managed  the  busi- 
ness in  Canada,  and  were  styled  agents  for 
the  Company.  Tlieir  duty  was  to  import  the 
necessary  goods  from  England,  store  them 
.at  their  own  expense  at  Montreal,  get  them 
made  up  into  articles  suited  to  the  trade, 
pack  and  forward  them,  and  supply  the  cash 
that  might  be  wanting  for  the  outfits,  for 
which  they  received,  independent  of  the 
profit  on  their  shares,  a  commission  on  the 
amount  of  the  accounts,  which  they  wei-e 
obliged  to  make  out  annually,  and  keep  the 
adventure  of  each  year  distinct.  Two  of 
them  went  annually  to  the  Grande  Portage, 
to  manage  and  transact  the  business  there, 
and  on  the  communication  at  Detroit,  Michili- 
makinac,  St.  Mary's,  and  at  Montreal,  where 
they  received,  stored,  packed  up,  and  shipped 
the  company's  furs  for  England,  on  which 
they  had  also  a  small  commission.  The  re- 
maining shares  were  held  by  the  proprietors, 
who  were  obliged  to  winter  and  manage  the 
business  of  the  concern  with  the  Indians,  and 
their  respective  clerks,  etc.  They  were  not 
supposed  to  be  under  any  obligation  to  furnish 
capital,  or  even  credit.  If  they  obtained  any 
capital  by  the  trade,  it  was  to  renuun  in  the 
hands  of  the  agents;  for  which  they  were 
allowed  interest.  Some  of  them,  from  their 
long  services  and  influence,  held  double 
xlvi 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

shares,  and  were  allowed  to  retire  from  the 
business  at  any  period  of  the  existing  concern, 
with  one  of  those  shares,  naming  any  young 
man  in  the  company's  service  to  succeed  him 
in  the  other.  Seniority  and  merit  were, 
however,  considered  as  affording  a  claim  to 
the  succession,  which,  nevertheless,  could  not 
be  disposed  of  without  the  concurrence  of  the 
majority  of  the  concern;  who,  at  the  same 
time,  relieved  the  seceding  person  from  any 
responsibility  respecting  the  share  that  he 
transferred,  and  accounted  for  it  according  to 
the  annual  value  or  rate  of  the  property ;  so 
that  the  seller  could  have  no  advantage,  but 
that  of  getting  the  share  of  stock  which  he 
retained  realised,  and  receiving  for  the  trans- 
ferred share  what  was  fairly  determined  to 
be  the  worth  of  it.  The  former  was  also 
discharged  from  all  duty,  and  became  a  dor- 
mant partner.  Thus,  all  the  young  men  who 
were  not  provided  for  at  the  beginning  of  the 
contract,  succeeded  in  succession  to  the  char- 
acter and  advantages  of  partners.  They  en- 
tered into  the  Company's  service  for  five  or 
seven  years,  under  such  expectations,  and 
their  reasonable  prospects  were  seldom  disap- 
pointed: there  were,  indeed,  instances  when 
they  succeeded  to  shaves,  before  their  appren- 
ticeship was  expired,  and  it  frequently  ha})- 
pened,  that  they  were  provided  for  while  they 
were  in  a  state  of  articled  clerkship.  Shares 
xlvii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

were  transferable  only  to  the  concern  at  large, 
as  no  person  could  be  admitted  as  a  partner 
who  had  not  served  his  time  to  the  trade. 
The  dormant  i)artuer  indeed  might  dispose 
of  his  interest  to  any  one  he  chose,  but  if  the 
transaction  was  not  acknowledged  by  his 
associates,  the  purchaser  could  only  be  con- 
sidered as  his  agent  or  attorney.  Every 
share  had  a  vote,  and  two-thirds  formed  a 
majority.  This  regular  and  equitable  mode 
of  providing  for  the  clerks  of  the  company, 
excited  a  spirit  of  emulation  in  the  discharge 
of  their  various  duties,  and  in  fact,  made 
every  agent  a  princii)al,  who  perceived  his 
own  prosperity  to  be  immediately  connected 
with  that  of  his  employers.  Indeed,  without 
such  a  spirit,  such  a  trade  could  not  have  be- 
come so  extended  and  advantageous,  as  it 
has  been  and  now  is. 

In  1788,  the  gross  amount  of  the  adventure 
for  the  year  did  not  exceed  forty  thousand 
pounds,*  but  by  the  exertion,  enterprise,  and 
industry  of  the  ])roprietors,  it  Avas  brought, 
in  eleven  years,  to  triple  that  amount  and 
upwards;  yielding  proportionate  profits,  and 

*  This  miglit  be  properly  called  the  stock  of  the 
company,  as  it  included,  with  the  expenditure  of 
the  year,  the  amount  of  the  property  unexpended, 
which  had  been  appropriated  for  the  adventure  of 
that  year,  and  was  carried  on  to  the  account  of  the 
following  adventure. 

xlviii 


OF  THE  FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

surpassing,  in  short,  any  thing  known  in 
America. 

Such,  therefore,  being  the  prosperous  state 
of  the  company,  it,  very  naturally,  tempted 
others  to  interfere  with  the  concern  in  a 
manner  by  no  means  beneficial  to  the  com- 
pany, and  commonly  ruinous  to  the  under- 
takers. 

In  1798  the  concern  underwent  a  new  form, 
the  shares  were  increased  to  forty-six,  new 
partners  being  admitted,  and  others  retiring. 
This  period  was  the  termination  of  the  com- 
pany, which  was  not  renewed  by  all  the 
parties  concerned  in  it,  the  majority  continu- 
ing to  act  upon  the  old  stock,  and  under  the 
old  firm;  the  others  beginning  a  new  one; 
and  it  now  remains  to  be  decided,  whether 
two  parties,  under  the  same  regulations  and 
by  the  same  exertions,  though  unequal  in 
number,  can  continue  to  carry  on  the  business 
to  a  successful  issue.  The  contrary  opinion 
has  been  held,  which  if  verified,  will  make 
it  the  interest  of  the  parties  again  to  coalesce ; 
for  neither  is  deficient  in  capital  to  support 
their  obstinacy  in  a  losing  trade,  as  it  is  not 
to  be  supposed  that  either  will  yield  on  any 
other  terms  than  perpetual  participation. 

It  will  not  be  superfluous  in  this  place,  to 
explain  the  general  mode  of  carrying  on  the 
fur  trade. 

The  agents  are  obliged  to  order  the  neces- 
4  xlix 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

saiy  goods  from  England  in  the  month  of 
October,  eighteen  months  before  they  can 
leave  Montreal ;  that  is,  they  are  not  shii)ped 
from  London  until  the  spring  following,  when 
they  arrive  in  Canada  in  the  summer.  In 
the  course  of  the  following  winter  they  are 
made  up  into  such  articles  as  are  required  for 
the  savages ;  they  are  then  packed  into  i)arcels 
of  ninety  pounds  weight  each,  but  cannot  be 
sent  from  Montreal  until  the;  May  following ; 
.so  that  they  do  not  get  to  market  until  the 
ensuing  winter,  when  they  are  exchanged  for 
furs,  which  come  to  Montreal  the  next  fall, 
and  from  thence  are  shipped,  chiefly  to  Lon- 
don, where  they  are  not  sold  or  paid  for  be- 
fore the  succeeding  spring,  or  even  as  late  as 
June;  which  is  forty-two  months  after  the 
goods  were  ordered  in  Canada;  thirty-six 
after  they  had  been  shipped  from  England, 
and  twenty-four  after  they  had  been  for- 
Avarded  from  Montreal ;  so  that  the  merchant, 
allowing  that  he  has  twelve  months'  credit, 
does  not  receive  a  return  to  pay  for  those 
goods,  and  the  necessary  expenses  attending 
them,  which  is  about  equal  to  the  value  of 
the  goods  themselves,  till  two  years  after 
they  are  considered  as  cash,  which  makes  this 
a  very  heavy  business.  There  is  even  a  small 
proportion  of  it  that  requires  twelve  months 
longer  to  bring  round  the  ]iayment,  going  to 
the  immense  distance  it  is  carried,  and  from 
1 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

the  shortness  of  the  seasons,  which  pre- 
vents the  furs,  even  after  they  are  collected, 
from  coming  out  of  the  country  for  that 
period.* 

The  articles  necessary  for  this  trade,  are 
coarse  woollen  cloths  of  different  kinds; 
milled  blankets  of  different  sizes;  arms  and 
ammunition ;  twist  and  carrot  tobacco ;  Man- 
chester goods ;  linens,  and  coarse  sheetings ; 
thread,  lines,  and  twine ;  common  hardware ; 
cutlery  and  ironmongery  of  several  descrip- 
tions ;  kettles  of  brass  and  copper,  and  sheet- 
iron  ;  silk  and  cotton  handkerchiefs,  hats, 
shoes,  and  hose ;  calicoes  and  printed  cottons, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  Spirituous  liquors  and  provi- 
sions are  purchased  in  Canada.  These,  and 
the  expense  of  transport  to  and  from  the  In- 
dian country,  including  wages  to  clerks,  in- 
terpreters, guides,  and  canoe-men,  with  the 
expense   of   making   up   the   goods   for   the 

*  This  will  be  better  illustrated  by  the  following 
statement: — We  will  suppose  the  goods  for  1798: 
The  orders  for  the  goods  are  sent  to  this  country 
25th  October,  1796;  they  ai'e  shipped  from  London 
March,  1797;  they  arrive  in  Montreal  June,  1797: 
they  are  made  up  in  the  course  of  that  summer  and 
winter;  they  are  sent  from  Montreal  May,  1798; 
they  arrive  in  the  Indian  country,  and  are  exchanged 
for  furs  the  following  winter,  1798-99;  which  furs 
come  to  Montreal  September,  1799;  and  are  shipped 
for  Lf)iidon.  wlierc  they  are  sold  in  March  and  April, 
and  paid  for  iu  May  or  June,  1800. 

li 


A   GENERAL    HISTORY 

market,  form  ;il)()ut  half  the  aiiuiuil  amount 
against  the  ailventure. 

This  expenditure  in  Canada  ultimately 
tends  to  the  encouragement  of  British  manu- 
factory, for  those  who  are  employed  in  the 
different  branches  of  this  business,  are  en- 
abled by  their  gains  to  purchase  such  British 
articles  as  they  must  otherwise  forego. 

The  produce  of  the  year  of  which  T  am 
now  speaking,  consisted  of  the  following  furs 
and  peltries : 

106,000  Beaver  skuas,  6,000  Lynx  skins, 

2,100  Bear  skins,  600  Wolverine  skins, 

1,500  Fox  skins,  I.O.jO  Fisher  skins, 

4,000  Kitt  Fox  skins  100  Raekoon  skins, 

4,600  Otter  skins,  3,800  Wolf  skins, 

17,000  Musquash  skins,  700  Elk  skins, 

32,000  Marten  skins,  750  Deer  skins, 

1,800  Mink  skins,  1,200  Deer  skins  dressed, 

500    Buffalo    robes,  and    a    quantity   of    cas- 
torum. 

Of  these  were  diverted  from  the  British 
market,  being  sent  through  the  United  States 
to  China,  1.3,364  skins,  line  beaver,  weighing 
19,283  pounds;  1,250  fine  otters,  and  1,724 
kitt  foxes.  They  would  have  found  their 
way  to  the  China  market  at  any  rate,  but 
this  deviation  from  the  British  channel  arose 
from  the  following  circumstance  : 

An  adventure  of  this  kind  Avas  undertaken 
by  a  respectable  house  in  London,  half  con- 
lii 


OF  THE  FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

cernedwith  the  Kortli-West  Company,  iu  the 
year  1792.  The  furs  were  of  the  best  kind, 
and  suitable  to  the  market ;  and  the  adven- 
turers continued  this  connexion  for  five  suc- 
cessive years,  to  the  annual  amount  of  forty 
thousand  pounds.  At  the  winding  up  of  the 
concern  of  1792,  1793,  1794,  1795,  iu  the 
year  1797  (the  adventure  of  1796  not  being 
included,  as  the  furs  were  not  sent  to  China, 
but  disposed  of  in  London),  the  Xorth-West 
Company  experienced  a  loss  of  upwards  of 
£40,000  (their  half),  Avhich  Avas  principally 
owing  to  the  difficulty  of  getting  home  the 
produce  procured  in  return  for  the  furs  from 
China,  in  the  East  India  Company's  ships, 
together  with  the  duty  payable,  and  the  vari- 
ous restrictions  of  that  company.  Whereas, 
from  America  there  are  no  impediments ;  they 
get  immediately  to  market,  and  the  produce 
of  them  is  brought  back,  and  perhaps  sold  in 
the  course  of  twelve  months.  From  such 
advantages,  the  furs  of  Canada  will  no  doubt 
find  their  way  to  China  by  America,  which 
would  not  be  the  case  if  British  subjects  had 
the  same  privileges  that  are  allowed  to  for- 
eigners, as  London  would  then  be  found  the 
best  and  safest  market. 

But  to  return  to  our  principal  subject.     We 

shall  now  proced  to  consider  the  number  of 

men   employed    in   the    concern:    viz.,   fifty 

clerks,  seventy-one  interpreters  and  clerks, 

liii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

one  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  canoe- 
men,  and  thirty-tive  guides.     Of  these,  live 
clerks,  eighteen  guides,  and  three  hundred 
and  fifty  canoe-men,  were  employed  for  the 
summer  season  in  going  from  Montreal  to  the 
Grande  Portage,   in  canoes,   part  of   whom 
proceeded  from  tlience  to  Eainy  Lake,  as  will 
be  hereafter  explained,  and  are  called  Pork- 
eaters,  or  Goers   and  Comers.     These  were 
hired  in  Canada  or  Montreal,  and  were  absent 
from   the  1st  of  May  till  the  latter  end  of 
September.     For   this   trip   the    guides   had 
from  eight  hundred  to  a  thousand  livres,  and 
a  suitable  equipment ;  the  foreman  and  steers- 
man from  four  to  six  hundred  livres;    the 
middle-men  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to 
three  hundred  and  fifty  livres,  with  an  equip- 
ment of  one  blanket,  one  shirt,  and  one  pair 
of  trowsers ;  and  were  maintained  during  that 
period   at  the  expense  of   their  employers. 
Independent  of  their  wages,  they  were  allowed 
to  traffic,  and  many  of  them  earned  to  the 
amount  of  their  wages.     About  one-third  of 
these  went  to  winter,   and   had  more  than 
double  the  above  wages  and  equipment.     All 
the  winterers  were  hired  by  the  year,  and 
sometimes  for  three  years ;  and  of  the  clerks 
many  were  apprentices,  who  were  generally 
engaged  for  five  or  seven  years,  for  which 
they  had  only  one  hundred  pounds,  provision 
and  clothing.     Such  of  them  who  could  not 
liv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

be  provided  for  as  partners,  at  the  expiration 
of  this  time,  were  allowed  from  one  hundred 
pounds  to  three  hundred  pounds  per  annum, 
with  all  necessaries,  till  provision  was  made 
for  them.  Those  Avho  acted  in  the  two-fold 
capacity  of  clerk  and  interpreter,  or  were  so 
denominated,  had  no  other  expectation  than 
the  payment  of  wages  to  the  amount  of  from 
one  thousand  to  four  thousand  livres  per  an- 
num, with  clothing  and  provisions.  The 
guides,  who  are  a  very  useful  set  of  men, 
acted  also  in  the  additional  capacity  of  in- 
terpreters, and  had  a  stated  quantity  of  goods, 
considered  as  sufficient  for  their  wants,  their 
wages  being  from  one  to  three  thousand  livres. 
The  canoe-men  are  of  two  descriptions,  fore- 
men and  steersmen,  and  middlemen.  The 
two  first  were  allowed  annually  one  thousand 
two  hundred,  and  the  latter  eight  hundred, 
livres  each.  The  first  class  had  what  is 
called  an  equipment,  consisting  of  two 
blankets,  two  shirts,  two  pair  of  trowsers, 
two  handkerchiefs,  fourteen  pounds  of  carrot 
tobacco,  and  some  trifling  articles.  The 
latter  had  ten  pounds  of  tobacco,  and  all  the 
other  articles :  those  are  called  North  Men, 
or  Winterers ;  and  to  the  last  class  of  people 
were  attached  upwards  of  seven  hundred  In- 
dian women  and  children,  victualled  at  the 
expence  of  the  company. 

The  first  class  of  people  are  hired  in  Mon- 
Iv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

treal  five  months  before  they  set  out,  and  re- 
ceive their  equipments,  and  one-third  of  their 
wages  in  advance ;  and  an  adequate  idea  of 
the  labour  tliey  undergo,  may  be  formed  from 
the  following  account  of  the  country  througli 
which  they  pass,  and  their  manner  of  ])ro- 
ceeding. 

The  necessary  number  of  canoes  being  pur- 
chased, at  about  three  hundred  livres  each, 
the  goods  formed  into  packages,  and  the 
lakes  and  rivers  free  of  ice,  whicli  they  usu- 
ally are  in  the  beginning  of  May,  they  are 
then  despatched  from  La  Chine,  eight  miles 
above  Montreal,  with  eight  or  ten  men  in  each 
canoe,  and  their  baggage;  and  sixty-five 
packages  of  goods,  six  hundred  weight  of 
biscuit,  two  hundred  weight  of  pork,  three 
bushels  of  pease,  for  the  men's  provision; 
two  oil-cloths  to  cover  the  goods,  a  sail,  etc., 
an  axe,  a  towing-line,  a  kettle,  and  a  sponge 
to  bail  out  the  water,  with  a  quantity  of  gum, 
bark,  and  watape,  to  repair  the  vessel.  An 
European  on  seeing  one  of  these  slender  ves- 
sels thus  laden,  heaped  up,  and  sunk  with 
her  gunwale  within  six  inches  of  the  water, 
would  think  his  fate  inevitable  in  such  a  boat, 
when  he  reflected  on  the  nature  of  her  voyage ; 
l:)ut  the  Canadians  are  so  expert  that  few  ac- 
cidents happen. 

Leaving  La  Chine,  they  proceed  to  St. 
Ann's,  witliin  two  miles  of  the  Western  ex- 
Ivi 


OP  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

tremity  of  the  island  of  Montreal,  the  lake  of 
the  two  mountains  being  in  sight,  which  may 
be  termed  the  commencement  of  the  Utawas 
river.  At  the  rapid  of  St.  Ann  they  are 
obliged  to  take  out  part,  if  not  the  whole  of 
their  lading.  It  is  from  this  spot  that  the 
Canadians  consider  they  take  their  departure, 
as  it  possesses  the  last  church  on  the  island, 
which  is  dedicated  to  the  tutelar  saint  of 
voyages. 

The  lake  of  the  two  mountains  is  about 
twenty  miles  long,  but  not  more  than  three 
wide,  and  surrounded  by  cultivated  fields, 
except  the  Seignory  belonging  to  the  clergy, 
though  nominally  in  possession  of  the  tw^o 
tribes  of  Iroquois  and  Algonquins,  whose 
village  is  situated  on  a  delightful  point  of 
land  under  the  hills,  which,  by  the  title  of 
mountains,  give  a  name  to  the  lake.  Near 
the  extremity  of  the  point  their  church  is 
built,  which  divides  the  village  in  two  parts, 
forming  a  regular  angle  along  the  water  side. 
On  the  East  is  the  station  of  the  Algonquins, 
and  on  the  West,  one  of  the  Iroquois,  consist- 
ing in  all  of  about  five  hundred  warriors. 
Each  party  has  its  missionary,  and  divine 
worship  is  performed  according  to  the  rites 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  in  their  re- 
spective languages  in  the  same  church:  and 
so  assiduous  have  their  pastors  been,  tliat 
these  people  have  been  instructed  in  reading 
Ivii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

and  writing  in  their  own  langnage,  and  are 
better  instructed  than  the  Canadian  inhabi- 
tants of  the  country  of  the  lower  ranks: 
but  notwithstaiuliiig  these  advantages,  and 
though  the  establislnuent  is  nearly  coeval 
with  the  colonisation  of  the  country,  they  do 
not  advance  towards  a  state  of  civilisation, 
but  retain  their  ancient  habits,  language,  and 
customs,  and  are  becoming  every  day  more 
depraved,  indigent,  and  insiguihcant.  The 
country  around  them,  though  very  capable  of 
cultivation,  presents  only  a  few  miserable 
patches  of  ground,  sown  by  the  women  with 
maize  and  vegetables.  During  the  winter 
season,  they  leave  their  liabitations,  and 
pious  })astors,  to  follow  the  chase,  according 
to  the  custom  of  their  forefathers.  Such  is, 
indeed,  the  state  of  all  the  villages  near  the 
cultivated  parts  of  Canada.  But  we  shall 
now  leave  them  to  proceed  on  our  voyage. 

At  the  end  of  the  lake  the  water  contracts 
into  the  U tawas  river,  which,  after  a  course 
of  fifteen  miles,  is  interrupted  by  a  succes- 
sion of  rapids  and  cascades  for  upwards  of 
ten  miles,  at  the  foot  of  which  the  Canadian 
Seignories  terminate;  and  all  above  them 
were  waste  land,  till  the  conclusion  of  the 
American  war,  when  they  were  surveyed  by 
order  of  government,  and  granted  to  the  offi- 
cers and  men  of  the  eighty-fourth  regiment, 
when  reduced ;  but  principally  to  the  former, 
Iviii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

and  consequently  little  inhabited,  though  very 
capable  of  cultivation. 

The  voyagers  are  frequently  obliged  to  un- 
load their  canoes,  and  carry  the  goods  upon 
their  backs,  or  rather  suspended  in  slings 
from  their  heads.  Each  man's  ordinary  load 
is  two  packages,  though  some  carry  three. 
Here  the  canoe  is  towed  by  a  strong  line. 
There  are  some  places  where  the  ground  will 
not  admit  of  their  carrying  the  whole ;  they 
then  make  two  trips,  that  is,  leave  half  their 
lading,  and  go  and  land  it  at  the  distance  re- 
quired ;  and  then  return  for  that  which  was 
left.  In  this  distance  are  three  carrying- 
places,  the  length  of  which  depends  in  a 
great  measure  upon  the  state  of  the  water, 
whether  higher  or  lower;  from  the  last  of 
these  the  river  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
wide,  and  has  a  regular  current  for  about 
sixty  miles,  when  it  ends  at  the  first  Portage 
de  Chaudiere,  where  the  body  of  water  falls 
twenty-five  feet,  over  cragged,  excavated 
rocks,  in  a  most  wild,  romantic  manner.  At 
a  small  distance  below,  is  the  river  Rideau 
on  the  left,  falling  over  a  perpendicular  rock, 
near  forty  feet  high,  in  one  sheet,  assuming 
the  appearance  of  a  curtain ;  and  from  which 
circumstance  it  derives  its  name.  To  this 
extent  the  lands  have  been  surveyed,  as  be- 
fore observed,  and  are  very  fit  for  culture. 
Many  loyalists  are  settled  upon  the  river 
lix 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

Eideau,  and  have,  I  am  told,  thriving  plan- 
tations. Some  American  families  preferring 
the  British  territory,  have  also  established 
themselves  along  a  river  on  the  opposite 
side,  where  the  soil  is  excellent.  Nor  do  I 
think  the  period  is  far  distant,  when  the 
lands  will  become  settled  from  this  vicinity 
to  Montreal. 

Over  this  portage,  which  is  six  luindri'd 
and  forty-three  paces  long,  the  canoe  and  all 
the  lading  is  carried.  The  rock  is  so  steep 
and  difficult  of  access,  that  it  requires  twelve 
men  to  take  the  canoe  out  of  the  water :  it  is 
then  carried  by  six  men,  two  at  each  end  on 
the  same  side,  and  two  under  the  opposite 
gunwale  in  the  middle.  From  hence  to  the 
next  is  but  a  short  distance,  in  which  they 
make  two  trips  to  the  second  Portage  de 
Chaudiere,  which  is  seven  hundred  paces,  to 
carry  the  loading  alone.  From  hence  to  the 
next  and  last  Chaudiere,  or  Portage  des 
Chenes,  is  about  six  miles,  with  a  very  strong 
current,  where  the  goods  are  carried  seven 
hundred  and  forty  paces;  the  canoe  being 
towed  up  by  the  line,  when  the  water  is  not 
very  high.  AVe  now  enter  Lac  des  Chau- 
dieres,  which  is  computed  to  be  thirty  miles 
in  length.  Though  it  is  called  a  lake,  there 
is  a  strong  draught  downwards,  and  its 
breadth  is  from  two  to  four  miles.  At  the 
end  of  this  is  the  Portage  des  Chats,  over 
Ix 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  ic. 

which  the  canoe  and  lading  are  carried  two 
hundred  and  seventy-four  paces;  and  very 
difficult  it  is  for  the  former.  The  river  is 
here  barred  by  a  ridge  of  black  rock,  rising 
in  pinnacles  and  covered  Avith  wood,  which, 
from  the  small  quantity  of  soil  that  nourishes 
it,  is  low  and  stinted.  The  river  linds  its 
way  over  and  through  these  rocks,  in  numer- 
ous channels,  falling  fifteen  feet  and  up- 
wards. From  hence  two  trips  are  made 
through  a  serpentine  channel,  formed  by  the 
rocks,  for  several  miles,  when  the  current 
slackens,  and  is  accordingly  called  the  Lac 
des  Chats.  To  the  channels  of  the  grand 
Calumet,  Avhich  are  computed  to  be  at  the 
distance  of  eighteen  miles,  the  current  re- 
covers its  strength,  and  proceeds  to  the  Port- 
age Dufort,  which  is  two  hundred  and  forty- 
five  paces  long;  over  which  the  canoe  and 
baggage  are  transported.  From  hence  the 
current  becomes  more  rapid,  and  requires  two 
trips  to  the  Decharge  des  Sables,  *  where  the 
goods  are  carried  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
paces,  and  the  canoe  towed.  Then  folloAvs 
the  Mountain  Portage,  where  the  canoe  and 
lading  are  also  carried  three  hundred  and 
eighty-five  paces;    then  to  the  Decharge  of 

*  The  place  where  the  goods  alone  are  carried,  is 
called  a  Decluirge,  and  that  where  goods  and  canoes 
are  both  transported  overland,  is  denominated  a 
Furtage. 

1x1 


A  GENKUAF.    HISTORY 

the  Derige,  where  the  goods  are  carried  two 
hundred  and  fifty  paces;  and  thence  to  the 
grand  Cakiniet.  This  is  the  longest  carry- 
ing-place in  this  river,  and  is  about  two  thou- 
sand and  thirty-five  i)aces.  It  is  a  high  hill 
or  mountain.  From  the  upper  part  of  this 
Portage  the  current  is  steady,  and  is  only  a 
branch  of  the  Utawas  river,  which  joins  the 
main  channel,  that  keeps  a  more  Southern 
course,  at  the  distance  of  twelve  computed 
leagues.  Six  leagues  further  it  forms  Lake 
Coulonge,  which  is  about  four  leagues  in 
length ;  from  thence  it  proceeds  through  the 
channels  of  the  Allumettes  to  the  decharge, 
where  part  of  the  lading  is  talcen  out,  and 
carried  three  hundred  and  forty-two  paces. 
Then  succeeds  the  Portage  des  Allumettes, 
which  is  but  twenty-five  paces,  over  a  rock 
difficult  of  access,  and  at  a  very  short  dis- 
tance from  Decharge.  From  Portage  de 
Chenes  to  this  spot,  is  a  fine  deer-hunting 
country,  and  the  land  in  many  places  very  fit 
for  cultivation.  From  hence  the  river  spreads 
wide,  and  is  full  of  islands,  with  some  cur- 
rent for  seven  leagues,  to  the  beginning  of 
Rh-'iere  Creuse,  or  Deep  River,  which  runs  in 
the  form  of  a  canal,  about  a  mile  and  a  ludf 
wide,  for  about  tliirty-six  miles;  bounded 
upon  the  North  l)y  very  high  rocks,  with  low 
land  on  the  South,  and  sandy;  it  is  inter- 
cepted again  by  falls  and  cataracts,  so  that 
Ixii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  Szc. 

the  Portages  of  the  tAvo  Joachins  almost  join. 
The  first  is  nine  hundred  and  twenty-six 
paces,  the  next  seven  hundred  and  twenty, 
and  both  very  bad  roads.  From  hence  is  a 
steady  current  of  nine  miles  to  the  river  du 
Moine,  Avhere  there  has  generally  been  a  trad- 
ing house;  the  stream  then  becomes  strong 
for  four  leagues,  when  a  rapid  succeeds, 
which  requires  two  trips.  A  little  way  on- 
ward is  the  Decharge,  and  close  to  it,  the 
Portage  of  the  Roche  Capitaine,  seven  hun- 
dred and  ninety-seven  paces  in  length.  Prom 
hence  two  trips  are  made  through  a  narrow 
channel  of  the  Roche  Capitaine,  made  by  an 
island  four  miles  in  length.  A  strong  cur- 
rent now  succeeds,  for  about  six  leagues  to 
the  Portage  of  the  two  rivers,  which  is  about 
eight  hundred  and  twenty  paces ;  from  thence 
it  is  three  leagues  to  the  Decharge  of  the 
Trou,  which  is  three  hundred  paces.  Near 
adjoining  is  the  rapid  of  Levellier;  from 
whence,  including  the  rapids  of  Matawoen, 
where  there  is  no  carrying-place,  it  is  about 
thirty-six  miles  to  the  forks  of  the  same 
name;  in  latitude  46.  45.  North,  and  longi- 
tude 78.  45.  West,  and  is  at  the  computed 
distance  of  four  hundred  miles  from  Mont- 
real. At  this  place  the  Petite  Riviere  falls 
into  the  Utawas.  The  latter  river  comes  from 
a  Noi-th-Westerly  direction,  forming  seveial 
lakes  iu  its  course.  The  principal  of  them 
Ixiii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

is  Lake  Temescainang,  where  there  has  al- 
ways been  a  trading  post,  which  may  be  said 
to  continue,  by  a  succession  of  rivers  and  lakes, 
upwards  of  fifty  leagues  from  the  Forks,  pass- 
ing near  the  waters  of  the  Lake  Abbitiby,  in 
latitude  48,!,  which  is  received  by  the  Moose 
River,  that  empties  itself  into  James's  Bay. 

The  Petite  Riviere  takes  a  South- West  di- 
rection, is  full  of  rapids  and  cataracts  to  its 
source,  and  is  not  more  than  fifteen  leagues 
in  length,  in  the  course  of  which  are  the  fol- 
lowing interruptions — The  Portage  of  Plein 
Champ,  three  hundred  and  nineteen  paces; 
the  Decharge  of  the  Rose,  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  paces;  the  Decharge  of  Campion, 
one  hundred  and  eighty-four  paces ;  the  Port- 
age of  the  Grosse  Roche,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  paces;  the  Portage  of  Paresseux,  four 
hundred  and  two  paces;  the  Portage  of 
Prairie,  two  hundred  and  eighty-seven  paces; 
the  Portage  of  La  Cave,  one  hundred  paces; 
Portage  of  Talon,  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  paces;  which,  for  its  length,  is  the  worst 
on  the  communication ;  Portage  Pin  de  Mu- 
sique,  four  hundred  and  fifty-six  paces ;  next 
to  this,  is  mauvais  de  INIusique,  where  many 
men  have  been  crashed  to  death  by  the  ca- 
noes, and  others  have  received  irrecoverable 
injuries.  The  last  in  this  river  is  the  Turtle 
Portage,  eighty-three  paces,  on  entering  the 
lake  of  that  name,  wliere,  indeed,  the  river 
Ixiv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

may  be  said  to  take  its  source.  At  the  first 
vase  from  whence  to  the  great  river,  the 
country  has  the  appearance  of  having  been 
over-run  by  fire,  and  consists,  in  general,  of 
huge  rocky  hills.  The  distance  of  this  port- 
age which  is  the  lieight  of  land,  between  the 
waters  of  the  St.  Laurance  and  the  Utawas, 
is  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirteen 
paces  to  a  small  canal  in  a  plain,  that  is  just 
sufficient  to  carry  the  loaded  canoe  about  one 
mile  to  the  next  vase,  which  is  seven  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  paces.  It  would  be 
twice  this  distance,  but  the  narrow  creek  is 
dammed  in  the  beaver  fashion,  to  float  the 
canoes  to  this  barrier,  through  which  they 
pass,  when  the  river  is  just  sufficient  to  bear 
them  through  a  swamp  of  two  miles  to  the 
last  vase,  of  one  thousand  and  twenty-four 
paces  in  length.  Though  the  river  is  in- 
creased in  this  part,  some  care  is  necessary 
to  avoid  rocks  and  stumps  of  trees.  In  about 
six  miles  is  the  lake  Nepisingui,  which  is 
computed  to  be  twelve  leagues  long,  though 
the  route  of  the  canoes  is  something  more :  it 
is  about  fifteen  miles  wide  in  the  widest  part, 
and  bound  with  rocks.  Its  inhabitants  con- 
sist of  the  remainder  of  a  numerous  converted 
tribe,  called  Nepisinguis  of  the  Algonquin 
nation.  Out  of  it  flows  the  Riviere  des  Fran- 
cois, over  rocks  of  a  considerable  height.  In 
a  bay  to  the  East  of  this,  the  road  leads  over 
5  Ixv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

the  Portage  of  the  Cluuuliere  dcs  Fnuu^ois, 
five  hundred  and  forty-four  ])aces,  to  still 
water.  It  must  have  acquired  the  name  of 
Kettle,  from  a  great  number  of  holes  in  the 
solid  ro(;k  of  a  cylindrical  form,  and  not  un- 
like that  culinary  utensil.  They  are  observ- 
able in  many  parts  along  strong  bodies  of 
water,  and  where,  at  certain  seasons,  and 
distinct  periods,  it  is  well  known  the  water 
inundates ;  at  the  bottom  of  them  are  gener- 
ally found  a  number  of  small  stones  and  peb- 
bles. This  circumstance  justifies  the  conclu- 
sion, that  at  some  former  period  these  rocks 
formed  the  bed  of  a  branch  of  the  discharge 
of  this  lake,  although  some  of  them  are  up- 
wards of  ten  feet  above  the  present  level  of 
the  water  at  its  greatest  height.  They  are, 
indeed,  to  be  seen  along  every  great  river 
throughout  this  wide  extended  country.  The 
French  river  is  very  irregular,  both  as  to  its 
breadth  and  form,  and  is  so  interspersed  Avith 
islands,  that  iu  the  whole  course  of  it  the 
banks  are  seldom  visible.  Of  its  various 
channels,  that  which  is  generally  followed 
by  the  canoes  is  obstructed  by  the  following 
Portages,  viz.,  des  Pins,  fifty-two  paces; 
Peausille,  thirty-six  paces;  Parisienne,  one 
hundred  paces ;  Kecolet,  forty-five  paces ;  and 
the  Petite  Feusille,  twenty-five  paces.  In 
several  parts  there  are  guts  or  channels, 
where  the  water  flows  with  great  velocity, 
Ixvi 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

which  are  not  more  than  twice  tlie  breadth 
of  a  canoe.  The  distance  to  Lake  Huron  is 
estimated  at  twenty-hve  leagues,  which  this 
river  enters  in  the  latitude  45.  53.  North, 
that  is,  at  the  point  of  land  three  or  four 
miles  within  the  lake.  There  is  hardly  a 
foot  of  soil  to  be  seen  from  one  end  of  the 
Feuch  river  to  the  other,  its  banks  consisting 
of  hills  of  entire  rock.  The  coast  of  the  lake 
is  the  same,  but  lower,  backed  at  some  dis- 
tance by  high  lands.  The  course  runs  through 
numerous  islands  to  the  North  of  West  to  the 
river  Tessalon,  computed  to  be  about  fifty 
leagues  from  the  French  river,  and  which  I 
found  to  be  in  latitude  46.  12.  21.  North; 
and  from  thence  crossing,  from  island  to  isl- 
and, the  arm  of  the  lake  that  receives  the 
water  of  Lake  Superior  (which  continues  the 
same  course),  the  route  changes  to  the  South 
of  West  ten  leagues  to  the  Detour,  passing 
the  end  of  the  island  of  St.  Joseph,  within 
six  miles  of  the  former  place.  On  that  isl- 
and tliere  has  been  a  military  establishment 
since  the  upper  posts  were  given  up  to  the 
Americans  in  the  year  1794;  and  is  the 
Westernmost  military  position  which  we  have 
in  this  country.  It  is  a  place  of  no  trade, 
and  the  greater  part,  if  not  the  whole  of  the 
Indians  come  here  for  no  other  purpose  but 
to  receive  the  presents  which  our  government 
annually  allows  them.  They  are  from  the 
Ixvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

American  territory  (except  about  thirty  fain- 
ilit!S,  who  are  the  inhabitants  of  the  hil<e 
from  the  French  river,  and  of  the  Algonquin 
nation)  and  trade  in  their  peltries,  as  they 
used  formerly  to  do  at  Miehilimakinac,  but 
principally  with  British  subjects.  The  Amer- 
icans pay  them  very  little  attention,  and  tell 
them  that  they  keep  possession  of  their  coun- 
try by  right  of  conquest :  that,  as  their  broth- 
ers, they  will  be  friends  Avith  them  while  they 
deserve  it ;  and  that  their  traders  will  bring 
them  every  kind  of  goods  they  require,  which 
they  may  procure  by  their  industry. 

Our  commanders  treat  them  in  a  very  dif- 
ferent manner,  and,  under  the  character  of 
the  representative  of  their  father  (which  pa- 
rental title  the  natives  give  to  his  present 
jVIajesty,  the  common  father  of  all  his  peo- 
ple) present  them  with  such  things  as  the 
actual  state  of  their  stores  will  allow. 

How  far  this  conduct,  if  continued,  may, 
at  a  future  exigency,  keep  these  people  in 
our  interest,  if  they  are  even  worthy  of  it, 
is  not  an  object  of  my  present  consideration : 
at  the  same  time,  I  cannot  avoid  expressing 
my  perfect  conviction,  that  it  would  not  be 
of  the  least  advantage  to  our  present  or  fu- 
ture commerce  in  that  country,  or  to  the  peo- 
ple themselves ;  as  it  only  tends  to  keep  many 
of  them  in  a  state  of  idleness  about  our  mili- 
tary establishments.  The  ammunition  which 
Ixviii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE.  &c 

they  receive  is  employed  to  kill  game,  in 
order  to  procure  rum  in  return,  though  their 
families  may  be  in  a  starving  condition: 
hence  it  is,  that,  in  consequence  of  slothful 
and  dissolute  lives,  their  numbers  are  in  a 
very  perceptible  state  of  diminution. 

From  the  Detour  to  the  island  of  Miehili- 
makinac,  at  the  conference  of  the  Lakes 
Huron  and  Michigan,  in  latitude  45.  54. 
North  is  about  forty  miles.  To  keep  the 
direct  course  to  Lake  Superior,  the  North 
shore  from  the  river  Tessalon  should  be  fol- 
lowed; crossing  to  the  North-West  end  of 
St.  Joseph,  and  passing  between  it  and  the 
adjacent  islands,  which  makes  a  distance  of 
iifty  miles  to  the  fall  of  St.  Mary,  at  the  foot 
of  which,  upon  the  South  shore,  there  is  a 
village,  formerly  a  place  of  great  resort  for 
the  inhabitants  of  Lake  Superior,  and  conse- 
quently of  considerable  trade :  it  is  now, 
however,  dwindled  to  nothing,  and  reduced 
to  about  thirty  families,  of  the  Algonquin 
nation,  who  are  one  half  of  the  year  starving, 
and  the  other  half  intoxicated,  and  ten  or 
twelve  Canadians,  who  have  been  in  the  In- 
dian country  from  an  early  period  of  life, 
and  intermarried  with  the  natives,  who  have 
brouglit  them  families.  Their  inducements 
to  settle  there,  was  the  great  quantity  of 
white  fish  that  are  to  be  taken  in  and  about 
the  falls,  with  very  little  trouble,  particu- 
Ixix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

larly  in  the  autumn,  when  that  fish  leave  the 
lakes,  and  conies  to  the  ruiniing  and  shallow 
waters  to  spawn.  Tliese,  when  salt  can  be 
procured,  are  i)ickled  just  as  the  frost  sets 
in,  and  prove  very  good  food  with  potatoes, 
which  they  have  of  late  cultivated  with  suc- 
cess. The  natives  live  chiefly  on  this  fisli, 
which  tliey  liang  up  by  the  tails,  and  pre- 
serve throughout  the  winter,  or  at  least  as 
long  as  they  last ;  for  whatever  quantity  they 
may  have  taken,  it  is  never  known  that  their 
economy  is  such  as  to  make  them  last  through 
the  winter,  which  renders  their  situation  very 
distressing;  for  if  they  had  activity  sufficient 
to  pursue  the  labours  of  the  chase,  the  woods 
are  become  so  barren  of  game  as  to  afford 
them  no  great  prospec^t  of  relief.  In  the 
spring  of  the  year,  they  and  the  other  inhab- 
itants make  a  quantity  of  sugar  from  the 
maple  tree,  which  they  exchange  with  the 
traders  for  necessary  articles,  or  carry  it  to 
Michilimakinac,  where  they  expect  a  better 
price.  One  of  these  traders  was  agent  for 
the  North- West  Company,  receiving,  storing, 
and  forwarding  such  articles  as  come  by  the 
way  of  the  lakes  upon  their  vessels :  for  it  is 
to  be  observed,  that  a  quantity  of  their  goods 
are  sent  by  that  route  from  Montreal  in  boats 
to  Kingston,  at  the  entrance  of  Lake  Ontario, 
and  from  Mience  in  vessels  to  Niagara,  tlien 
over  land  ten  miles  to  a  water  communica- 
Ixx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

tion,  by  boats,  to  Lake  Erie,  where  they  are 
again  received  into  vessels,  and  carried  over 
that  lake  up  the  river  Detroit,  through  the 
lake  and  river  Sinclair  to  Lake  Huron,  and 
from  thence  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Mary's,  when 
they  are  again  landed  and  carried  for  a  mile 
above-  the  falls,  and  shipped  over  Lake  Supe- 
rior to  the  Grande  Portage.  This  is  found 
to  be  a  less  expensive  method  than  by  ca- 
noes, but  attended  with  more  risk,  and  re- 
quiring more  time,  than  one  short  season  of 
this  country  will  admit;  for  the  goods  are 
always  sent  from  Montreal  the  preceding 
fall ;  and  besides,  the  company  get  their  pro- 
visions from  Detroit,  as  flour  and  Indian 
corn ;  as  also  considerable  supplies  from 
Michilimakinac  of  maple  sugar,  tallow,  gum, 
etc.,  etc. 

For  the  purpose  of  conveying  all  these 
things,  tliey  have  two  vessels  upon  the  Lakes 
Erie  and  Huron,  and  one  on  Lake  Superior, 
of  from  fifty  to  seventy  tons  burden.  This 
being,  therefore,  the  depot  for  transports,  the 
Montreal  canoes,  on  their  arrival,  were  for- 
warded over  Lake  Superior,  with  only  five 
men  in  each ;  the  others  were  sent  to  Michil- 
imakinac for  additional  canoes,  which  were 
requii'cd  to  prosecute  the  ti-ade,  and  then  tak- 
ing a  lading  tliere,  or  at  St.  Mary's,  and  fol- 
low tlie  others.  At  lengtli  they  all  arrive  at 
the  Grande  I'cjrtage,  Avhich  is  one  hundred 
Ixxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

and  sixty  leagues  from  St.  jVIaiy's,  coast- 
ways,  and  situated  on  a  pleasant  bay  on  the 
North  side  of  the  lake,  in  latitude  48.  North, 
and  longitude  90.  West  from  Greenwich, 
where  the  compass  has  not  above  five  degrees 
East  variation. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  bay  is  an  island 
which  screens  the  harbour  from  every  wind 
except  the  South.  The  shallowness  of  the 
water,  however,  renders  it  necessary  for  the 
vessel  to  anchor  near  a  mile  from  the  shore, 
Avhere  there  is  not  more  than  fourteen  feet 
water.  This  lake  justifies  the  name  that  has 
been  given  to  it;  the  Falls  of  St.  Mary, 
which  is  its  Northern  extremity,  being  iii 
latitude  46.  31.  North,  and  in  longitude  84. 
West,  where  there  is  no  variation  of  the  com- 
pass whatever,  while  its  Southern  extremity, 
at  the  river  St.  Louis,  is  in  latitude  46.  45. 
North,  and  longitude  92.  10.  West:  its  great- 
est breadth  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles, 
and  its  circumference,  including  its  various 
bays,  is  not  less  than  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred miles.  Along  its  North  shore  is  the 
safest  navigation,  as  it  is  a  continued  moun- 
tainous embankment  of  rock,  from  three  hun- 
dred to  one  thousand  five  hundred  feet  in 
height.  There  are  numerous  coves  and  sandy 
bays  to  land,  which  are  frequently  sheltered 
by  islands  from  the  swell  of  the  lake.  This 
is  particularly  the  ease  at  the  distance  of  one 
Ixxii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

hundred  miles  to  the  Eastward  of  tlie  Grande 
Portage,  and  is  called  the  Pays  Plat. 

This  seems  to  have  been  caused  by  some 
convulsion  of  nature,  for  many  of  the  islands 
display  a  composition  of  lava,  intermixed  with 
round  stones  of  the  size  of  a  pigeon's  egg. 
The  surrounding  rock  is  generally  hard,  and 
of  a  dark  blue-grey,  though  it  frequently  has 
the  appearance  of  iron  and  copper.  The 
South  side  of  the  lake,  from  Point  Shagoi- 
migo  East,  is  almost  a  continual  straight  line 
of  sandy  beach,  interspersed  with  rocky  preci- 
pices of  lime-stones,  sometimes  rising  to  a 
hundred  feet  in  height,  without  a  l)ay.  The 
embankments  from  that  point  Westward  are, 
in  general,  of  strong  clay,  mixed  with  stones, 
which  renders  the  navigation  irksome  and 
dangerous.  On  the  same  side,  at  the  river 
Tonnagan,  is  found  a  quantity  of  virgin  cop- 
per. The  Americans,  soon  after  they  got 
possession  of  that  country,  sent  an  engineer 
thither;  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  to 
hear  of  their  employing  people  to  work  the 
mine.  Indeed,  it  might  be  well  worthy  the 
attention  of  the  British  subjects  to  work  the 
mines  on  the  North  coast,  though  they  are 
not  supposed  to  be  so  rich  as  those  on  the 
South. 

Lake    Superior   is   the    largest   and   most 
magnificent    body    of    fresh    water    in    the 
world:    it   is  clear    and     pellucid,   of    great 
Ixxiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

depth,  and  abounding  in  a  great  variety  of 
fish,  which  are  the  most  excellent  of  their 
kind.  There  are  trouts  of  three  kinds, 
weighing  from  five  to  fifty  pounds,  sturgeon, 
pickerel,  pike,  red  and  white  carp,  black 
bass,  herrings,  etc.,  etc.,  and  the  last,  and 
best  of  all,  the  Ticamang,  or  white  fish, 
which  weighs  from  four  to  sixteen  pounds, 
and  is  of  a  superior  quality  in  these  Avaters. 

This  lake  may  be  denominated  the  grand 
reservoir  of  the  River  St.  Laurence,  as  no 
considerable  rivers  discharge  themselves  into 
it.  The  principal  ones  are,  the  St.  Louis, 
the  Nipigon,  the  Pic,  and  the  Michipicoten. 
Indeed,  the  extent  of  country  from  which 
any  of  them  floAv,  or  take  their  course,  in  any 
direction,  cannot  admit  of  it,  in  consequence 
of  the  ridge  of  land  that  separates  them  from 
the  rivers  that  empty  themselves  into  Hud- 
son's-Bay,  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  and  the  waters 
that  fall  in  Lake  Michigan,  which  afterward 
become  a  part   of  the  St.  Laurence. 

This  vast  collection  of  water  is  often  cov- 
ered with  fog,  particularly  when  the  wind  is 
from  the  East,  which,  driving  against  the 
high  barren  rocks  on  the  North  and  West 
shore,  dissolves  in  torrents  of  rain.  It  is 
very  generally  said,  that  the  storms  on  this 
lake  are  denoted  by  a  swell  on  the  preceding 
day;  but  this  circumstance  did  not  appear 
from  my  observation  to  be  a  regular  phenom- 
Ixxiv 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

enou,  as  the  swells  more  regularly  subsided 
without  any  subsequent  wind. 

Along  the  surrounding  rocks  of  this  im- 
mense lake,  evident  marks  appear  of  the  de- 
crease of  its  water,  by  the  lines  observable 
along  them.  The  space,  however,  between 
the  highest  and  the  lowest,  is  not  so  great  as 
in  the  smaller  lakes,  as  it  does  not  amount 
to  more  than  six  feet,  the  former  being  very 
faint. 

The  inhabitants  that  are  found  along  the 
coast  of  this  water,  are  all  of  the  Algonquin 
nation,  the  whole  of  which  do  not  exceed  150 
families.* 

These  people  live  chiefly  on  lish ;  indeed, 
from  what  has  been  said  of  the  country,  it 
cannot  be  expected  to  abound  in  animals,  as 
it  is  totally  destitute  cf  that  shelter,  which 
is  so  necessary  to  them.  The  rocks  appear 
to  have  been  over-run  by  fire,  and  the  stinted 
timber  which  once  grew  there,  is  frequently 
seen  lying  along  the  surface  of  them :  but  it 
is  not  easy  to  be  reconciled,  that  anything 

*  In  the  year  1668,  when  the  first  missionaries  vis- 
ited the  South  of  this  lake,  they  found  the  country 
full  of  inhabitants.  They  relate,  that  about  this 
time  a  band  of  the  Xepisingues,  who  were  con- 
verted, emigrated  to  the  Nipigon  country,  which  is 
to  the  North  of  Lake  Superior.  Few  of  their  de- 
scendants are  now  remaining,  and  not  a  trace  of 
the  religion  conunuuicated  to  tliem  is  to  be  discov- 
ered. 

Ixxv 


A   GENERAl.    IIISTOKY 

sliould  grow  where  there  is  so  little  appear- 
ance of  soil.  IVtween  the  fallen  trees  there 
are  briars,  with  hurtleberry  and  gooseberry 
bushes,  raspberries,  etc.,  which  invite  the 
bears  in  greater  or  lesser  numbers,  as  they 
are  a  favourite  food  of  that  animal:  beyond 
these  rocky  banks  are  found  a  few  moose  and 
fallow  deer.  The  waters  alone  are  abun- 
dantly inhabited. 

A  very  curious  phenomenon  was  observed 
some  years  ago  at  the  Grande  Portage,  for 
which  no  obvious  cause  could  be  assigned. 
The  water  withdrew  with  great  precipitation, 
leaving  the  ground  dry  that  had  never  before 
been  visible,  the  fall  being  equal  to  four 
perpendicular  feet,  and  rushing  back  with 
great  velocity  above  the  common  mark.  It 
continued  thus  falling  and  rising  for  several 
hours,  gradually  decreasing  till  it  stopped  at 
its  iisual  height.  There  is  frequently  an  ir- 
regular influx  and  deflux,  which  does  not  ex- 
ceed ten  inches,  and  is  attributed  to  the  wind. 

The  bottom  of  the  bay,  which  forms  an 
amphitheatre,  is  cleared  of  wood  and  inclosed ; 
and  on  the  left  corner  of  it,  beneath  an  hill, 
three  or  four  hundred  feet  in  height,  and 
crowned  by  others  of  a  still  greater  altitude, 
is  the  fort,  picketed  in  with  cedar  pallisa- 
does,  and  inclosing  houses  built  with  wood 
and  covered  with  shingles.  They  are  calcu- 
lated for  every  convenience  of  trade,  as  Avell 
Ixxvi 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  etc. 

as  to  accommodate  the  proprietors  aud  clerks 
during  their  short  residence  there.  The 
north  men  live  under  tents :  but  the  more 
frugal  pork-eater  lodges  beneath  his  canoe. 
The  soil  immediately  bordering  on  the  lake 
has  not  proved  very  propitious,  as  nothing 
but  potatoes  have  been  found  to  answer  the 
trouble  of  cultivation.  This  circumstance  is 
probably  owing  to  the  cold  damp  fogs  of  the 
lake,  and  the  moisture  of  the  ground  from 
the  springs  that  issue  from  beneath  the  hills. 
There  are  meadows  in  the  vicinity  that  yield 
abundance  of  hay  for  the  cattle ;  but,  as  to 
agriculture,  it  has  not  hitherto  been  an  object 
of  serious  consideration. 

I  shall  now  leave  these  geographical  no- 
tices, to  give  some  further  account  of  the 
people  from  Montreal. — When  they  are  ar- 
rived at  the  Grande  Portage,  which  is  near 
nine  miles  over,  each  of  them  has  to  carry 
eight  packages  of  such  goods  and  provisions 
as  are  necessary  for  the  interior  countr3^ 
This  is  a  labour  which  cattle  cannot  conve- 
niently perform  in  summer,  as  both  horses 
and  oxen  were  tried  by  the  company  without 
success.  They  are  only  useful  for  light, 
bulky  articles;  or  for  transporting  upon 
sledges,  during  the  winter,  whatever  goods 
may  remain  there,  especially  ])rovision,  of 
which  it  is  usual  to  have  a  year's  stock  on 

hand. 

Ixxvii 


A  GENEHxVL   HISTORY 

Having  liiiished  this  toilsome  part  of  their 
fluty,  if  more  goods  are  necessary  to  be 
transported,  they  are  allowed  a  Spanish  dol- 
lar for  each  package :  and  so  inured  are  they 
to  this  kind  of  labour,  that  I  have  known 
some  of  them  set  oft'  with  two  packages  of 
ninety  pounds  each,  and  leturn  with  two  oth- 
ers of  the  same  weight,  in  the  course  of  six 
hours,  being  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles  over 
hills  and  mountains.  This  necessary  part  of 
the  business  being  over,  if  the  season  be  early 
they  have  some  respite,  but  this  depends  upon 
the  time  the  North  men  begin  to  arrive  from 
their  winter  quarters,  which  they  commonly 
do  early  in  July.  At  this  period,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  select  from  the  pork-eaters,  a  number 
of  men,  among  whom  are  the  recruits,  or 
winterers,  sufficient  to  man  the  North  canoes 
necessary  to  carry,  to  the  river  of  the  rainy 
lake,  the  goods  and  provision  requisite  for 
the  Athabasca  country ;  as  the  people  of  that 
country  (owing  to  the  shortness  of  the  sea- 
son and  length  of  the  road,  can  come  no  fur- 
ther), are  equipped  there,  and  exchange  lad- 
ings with  the  people  of  whom  we  are 
speaking,  and  both  retui*n  from  whence  they 
came.  This  voyage  is  performed  in  the 
course  of  a  month,  and  they  are  allowed  pro- 
portionable wages  for  their  services. 

The  North  men  being  arrived  at  the  Grande 
Portage,  are  regaled  with  bread,  pork,  butter, 
Ixxviii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  etc. 

liquor,  and  tobacco,  and  such  as  have  not  en- 
tered into  agreements  during  the  winter,  which 
is  customary,  are  contracted  with,  to  return 
and  perform  the  voyage  for  one,  two,  or  three 
years;  their  accounts  are  also  settled,  and 
such  as  choose  to  send  any  of  their  earnings 
to  Canada,  receive  drafts  to  transmit  to  their 
relations  or  friends ;  and  as  soon  as  they  can 
be  got  ready,  which  requires  no  more  than  a 
fortnight,  they  are  again  despatched  to  their 
respective  departments.  It  is,  indeed,  very 
creditable  to  them  as  servants,  that  though 
they  are  sometimes  assembled  to  the  number 
of  twelve  hundred  men,  indulging  themselves 
in  the  free  use  of  liquor,  and  quarrelling  with 
each  other,  they  always  show  the  greatest 
respect  to  their  employers,  who  are  compara- 
tively but  few  in  number,  and  beyond  the  aid 
of  any  legal  power  to  enforce  due  obedience. 
In  short,  a  degree  of  subordination  can  only 
be  maintained  by  the  good  opinion  these 
men  entertain  of  their  employers,  which  has 
been  uniformly  the  case,  since  the  trade  has 
been  formed  and  conducted  on  a  regular  sys- 
tem. 

The  people  being  despatched  to  their  re- 
spective winter-quarters,  the  agents  from 
Montreal,  assisted  by  their  clerks,  prepare  to 
return  there,  by  getting  the  furs  across  the 
portage,  and  re-making  them  into  packages 
of  one  hundred  pounds  weight  each,  to  send 
Ixxix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

them  to  j\I(jiitrt'al ;  wlierc  tlu-y  (^oiniuoiily  ar- 
rive in  the  luontli  of  September. 

The  mode  of  living  at  the  Grande  Portage 
is  as  follows :  The  proprietors,  clerks,  guides, 
and  interpreters,  mess  together,  to  the  num- 
ber of  sometimes  an  hundred,  at  several  tables, 
in  one  large  hall,  the  provision  consisting  of 
bread,  salt  pork,  beef,  hams,  hsh,  and  veni- 
son, butter,  peas,  Indian  corn,  potatoes,  tea, 
spirits,  wine,  etc.,  and  plenty   of  milk,  for 
which   i)urpose  several  milch  cows  are  con- 
stantly kept.     The  mechanics  have  rations  of 
such  provision,  Ijut  the  canoe-men,  both  from 
the  North  and  Montreal,  have  no  other  al- 
lowance here,  or  in  the  voyage,  than  Indian 
corn  and  melted  fat.     The  corn  for  this  pur- 
pose is  prepared  before  it  leaves  Detroit,  by ' 
boiling  it  in  a  strong  alkali,  which  takes  off 
the  outer  husk :  it  is  then  well  washed,  and 
carefully  dried  upon  stages,  when  it  is  fit  for 
use.     One   quart  of  this   is  boiled   for  two 
hours,  over  a  moderate  fire,  in  a  gallon  of 
water;  to  which,  when  it  has  boiled  a  small 
time,  are  added  two  ounces  of  melted  suet ; 
this  causes  the  corn  to  split,  and  in  the  time 
mentioned  makes  a  pretty  thick  pudding.     If 
to  this  is  added  a  little  salt,  (but  not  before 
it  is  boiled,  as  it  would  interrupt  the  opera- 
tion) it  makes  a  wholesome,  })alatable  food, 
and  easy  of  digestion.     This  quantity  is  fully 
sufficient    for   a   man's    subsistence    during 
Ixxx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

twenty-four  hours ;  though  it  is  not  suffi- 
ciently heartening  to  sustain  the  strength 
necessary  for  a  state  of  active  labour.  The 
Americans  call  this  dish  hominy.* 

The  trade  from  the  Grande  Portage  is,  in 
some  particulars,  carried  on  in  a  different 
manner  with  that  from  Montreal.  The  ca- 
noes used  in  the  latter  transport  are  now  too 
large  for  the  former,  and  some  of  about  half 
the  size  are  procured  from  the  natives,  and 
are  navigated  by  four,  iive,  or  six  men,  ac- 
cording to  the  distance  which  they  have  to 
go.  They  carry  a  lading  of  about  thirty-iive 
packages,  on  an  average ;  of  these  twenty- 
three  are  for  the  purpose  of  trade,  and  the 
rest  are  employed  for  i)rovisions,  stores,  and 
baggage.  In  each  of  these  canoes  are  a  fore- 
man and  steersman  ;  the  one  to  be  always  on 
the  look-out,  and  direct  the  passage  of  the 
vessel,  and  the  other  to  attend  the  helm. 
They  also  carry  her,  whenever  that  office  is 
necessary.  The  foreman  has  the  command, 
and  the  middle-men  obey  both ;  the  latter 
earn  only  two-thirds  of  the  wages  which  are 
paid  the  two  former.  Independent  of  these, 
a  conductor   or   pilot  is  appointed  to  every 

*  Corn  is  tlie  cheapest  provision  tliat  can  be  pro- 
cured, lliougli  from  the  expense  of  transport,  the 
busliel  costs  about  twenty  sliillings  sterling,  at  the 
Grande  Portage.  A  man's  daily  allowance  does  not 
exceed  ten-pence. 

6  Ixxxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

four  or  six  of  these  canoes,  whom  they  are 
all  obliged  to  obey;  and  is,  or  at  least  is 
intended  to  be,  a  person  of  superior  ex- 
perience, for  which  he  is  i)i'()i)ortionably 
paid. 

In  these  canoes,  thus  loaded,  they  embark 
at  the  North  side  of  the  portage,  on  the  river 
Au  Tourt,  which  is  very  inconsiderable ;  and 
after  about  two  miles  of  a  Westerly  course, 
is  obstructed  by  the  Partridge  Portage,  six 
hundred  paces  long.  In  the  spring  this 
makes  a  considerable  fall,  when  the  water  is 
high,  over  a  perpendicular  rock  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet.  From  thence  the 
river  continues  to  be  shallow,  and  requires 
great  care  to  prevent  the  bottom  of  the  canoe 
from  being  injured  by  sharp  rocks,  for  a  dis- 
tance of  three  miles  and  an  half  to  the  Priarie, 
or  Meadow,  when  half  the  lading  is  taken 
out,  and  carried  by  part  of  the  crew,  while 
two  of  them  are  conducting  the  canoe  among 
the  rocks,  with  the  remainder,  to  the  Carre- 
boeuf  Portage,  three  miles  and  a  half  more, 
when  they  unload,  and  come  back  two  miles, 
and  embark  what  was  left  for  the  other 
hands  to  carry,  which  they  also  laud  with 
the  former ;  all  of  which  is  carried  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty  paces,  and  the  canoe  led  up 
against  the  rapid.  From  hence  the  water  is 
better  calculated  to  carry  canoes,  and  leads 
by  a  Avinding  course  to  the  North  of  West 
Ixxxii 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  Ac. 

three  miles  to  the  Outard  Portage,  over  which 
the  canoe,  and  every  thing  in  her,  is  carried 
for  two  thousand  four  hundred  paces.  At 
the  further  end  is  a  very  high  hill  to  de- 
scend, over  which  hangs  a  rock  upwards  of 
seven  hundred  feet  high.  Then  succeeds  the 
Outard  Lake,  about  six  miles  long,  lying  in  a 
North- West  course,  and  about  two  miles  wide 
in  the  broadest  place. 

After  passing  a  very  small  rivulet,  they 
come  to  the  Elk  Portage,  over  %vhich  the  ca- 
noe and  lading  are  again  carried  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  twenty  paces;  when  they 
enter  the  lake  of  the  same  name,  Avhicli  is  an 
handsome  piece  of  water,  running  North- West 
about  four  miles,  and  not  more  than  one  mile 
and  an  half  wide.*  They  then  land  at  the 
Portage  de  Cerise,  over  which,  and  in  the 
face  of  a  considerable  hill,  the  canoe  and 
cargo  are  again  transported  for  one  thousand 
and  fifty  paces.  This  is  only  separated  from 
the  second  Portage  de  Cerise,  by  a  mud-pond 
(where  there  is  plenty  of  water  lilies),  of  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  length ;  and  this  is  again 
separated  by  a  similar  pond,  from  the  last 
Portage  de  Cerise,  wdiich  is  four  hundred  and 
ten  paces.  Here  the  same  operation  is  to  be 
performed  for  three  hundred  and  eighty 
paces.     They   next   enter  on  the   Mountain 

*II(,'re  is  a  most  excc'llciit  lislR-ry  fur  while  fish, 
which  arc  exquisite. 

Ixxxiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

Lake,  niiining  North- West  by  West  six 
miles  long,  and  about  two  miles  in  its  great- 
est breadth.  In  the  centre  of  this  lake,  ami 
to  the  right  is  tlic  Old  Koad,  by  wliich  I 
never  passed,  but  an  adequate  notion  nuiy  l)e 
formed  of  it  from  the  road  I  am  going  to  de- 
scribe, and  which  is  universally  j)referred. 
This  is  first,  the  small  new  portage  over 
which  everything  is  carried  for  six  hundred 
and  twenty-six  paces,  over  hills  and  gullies; 
the  whole  is  then  embarked  on  a  narrow  line 
of  water,  that  meanders  South-^V'est  about 
two  miles  and  an  half.  It  is  necessary  to 
unload  here,  for  the  length  of  the  canoe,  and 
then  proceed  West  half  a  mile,  to  the  new 
Grande  Portage,  which  is  three  thousand  one 
hundred  paces  in  length,  and  over  very  rough 
ground,  which  requires  the  utnu)st  exertions 
of  the  men,  and  frequently  lames  them  :  from 
hence  they  api)roach  the  Hose  Lake,  the  port- 
age of  that  name  being  opposite  to  the  junc- 
tion of  the  road  from  the  Mountain  Lake. 
They  then  embark  on  the  Rose  Lake,  about 
one  mile  from  the  East  end  of  it,  and  steer 
West  by  South,  in  an  oblique  course,  across 
it  two  miles,  then  North- West  passing  the 
Petite  Peche  to  the  Marten  Portage  three 
miles.  In  this  part  of  the  lake  the  bottom 
is  mud  and  slime,  with  about  three  or  four 
feet  of  water  over  it ;  and  here  I  frequently 
struck  a  canoe  pole  of  twelve  feet  long,  with- 
Ixxxiv 


OF  THE   Fill  TRADE,  &c. 

out  meeting  any  other  obstruction  than  if  the 
whole  were  water :  it  has,  however,  a  peculiar 
suction  or  attractive  power,  so  that  it  is  diffi- 
'cult  to  paddle  a  canoe  over  it.  There  is  a 
small  space  along  the  South  shore,  where  the 
water  is  deep,  and  this  effect  is  not  felt.  In 
proportion  to  the  distance  from  this  part,  the 
suction  becomes  more  powerful:  I  have,  in- 
deed, been  told  that  loaded  canoes  have  been 
in  danger  of  being  swallowed  up,  and  have 
only  owed  their  preservation  to  other  canoes, 
which  were  lighter.  I  have,  myself,  found 
it  very  difficult  to  get  away  from  this  attrac- 
tive power,  with  six  men,  and  great  exertion, 
though  we  did  not  appear  to  be  in  any  danger 
of  sinking. 

Over  against  this  is  a  very  high,  rocky 
ridge,  on  the  South  side,  called  Marten  Port- 
age, which  is  but  twenty  paces  long,  and  sep- 
arated from  the  Perche  Portage,  which  is 
four  hundred  and  eighty  paces,  by  a  mud- 
pond,  covered  with  white  lilies.  From  hence 
the  course  is  on  the  lake  of  the  same  name. 
West- South- West  three  miles  to  the  height 
of  land,  Avhere  the  waters  of  the  Dove  or 
Pigeon  River  terminate,  and  which  is  one  of 
the  sources  of  the  great  St.  Laurence  in  this 
direction.  Having  carried  the  canoe  and  lad- 
ing over  it,  six  hundred  and  seventy -nine 
paces,  they  embark  on  the  lake  of  Hauteur 
de  Terre,  which  is  in  ilie  shape  of  an  horse- 
Ixxxv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

shoe.*  It  is  entered  near  the  curve,  and  left 
at  the  extremity  of  the  Western  limb,  through 
a  very  shallow  channel,  where  the  canoe 
passes  half  loaded  for  thirty  paces  with  the 
current,  which  conducts  these  waters  till  they 
discharge  themselves,  through  the  succeed- 
ing lakes  and  rivers,  and  disembogues  itself, 
by  the  river  Nelson,  into  Hudson's-Bay. 
The  first  of  these  is  Lac  de  pierres  a  fusil, 
running  West-South-West  seven  miles  long, 
and  two  wide,  and  making  an  angle  at 
North -AVest  one  mile  more,  becomes  a  river 
for  half  a  mile,  tumbling  over  a  rock,  and 
forming  a  fall  and  portage,  called  the  Esca- 
lier,  of  fifty-five  paces ;  but  from  hence  it  is 
neither  lake  or  river,  but  possesses  the  char- 
acter of  both,  and  runs  between  large  rocks, 
which  cause  a  current  or  rapid  for  about  two 
miles  and  an  half,  "West- North -West,  to  the 
portage  of  the  Cheval  du  Bois.  Here  the 
canoe  and  contents  are  carried  three  huiulred 
and  eighty  paces,  between  rocks;  and  within 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  is  the  Portage  des  Gros 
Pins,  which  is  six  hundred  and  forty  paces 
over  a  high  ridge.     The  opposite  side  of  it 

*  The  route  which  we  have  been  travelling  liitherto 
leads  alono^  the  high  rocky  land  or  bank  of  Lake 
Superior  on  the  left.  The  face  of  the  country  offers 
a  wild  scene  of  huge  hills  and  rocks,  separated  Ity 
stony  valleys,  lakes  and  i)ou(ls.  Wherever  there  is 
the  least  soil,  it  is  well  covered  with  trees. 
Ixxxvi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

is  washed  by  a  small  lake  three  mile  round ; 
and  the  course  is  through  the  East  end  or 
side  of  it,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  North- 
East,  where  there  is  a  rapid.  An  irregular 
meandering  channel,  between  rocky  banks, 
then  succeeds,  for  seven  miles  and  an  half, 
to  the  Maraboeuf  Lake,  which  extends  North 
four  miles,  and  is  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
wide,  terminating  by  a  rapid  and  decharge 
of  one  hundred  and  eighty  paces,  the  rock  of 
Saginaga  being  in  sight,  which  causes  a  fall 
of  about  seven  feet,  and  a  portage  of  fifty-five 
paces. 

Lake  Saginaga  takes  its  name  from  its  nu- 
merous islands.  Its  greatest  length  from 
East  to  West  is  about  fourteen  miles,  with 
very  irregular  inlets,  is  nowhere  more  than 
three  miles  wide,  and  terminates  at  the  small 
portage  of  Le  Roche,  of  forty-three  paces. 
From  thence  is  a  rocky,  stony  passage  of  one 
mile,  to  Priarie  Portage,  which  is  very  im- 
properly named,  as  there  is  no  ground  about 
it  that  answers  to  that  description,  except  a 
small  spot  at  the  embarking  place  at  the 
West  end :  to  the  East  is  an  entire  bog ;  and 
it  is  with  great  difficulty  that  the  lading  can 
be  landed  upon  stages,  formed  by  driving 
piles  into  the  mud,  and  spreading  branches 
of  trees  over  them.  The  portage  rises  on  a 
stony  ridge,  over  which  the  canoe  and  cargo 
must  be  carried  for  six  liundred  and  eleven 
Ixxxvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

paces.  This  is  succeeded  by  an  embarkation 
on  a  small  bay,  where  the  bottom  is  the  same 
as  has  been  described  in  the  West  end  of 
Rose  Lake,  and  it  is  with  great  difficulty  that 
a  laden  canoe  is  worked  over  it,  but  it  does 
not  comprehend  more  than  a  distance  of  two 
hundred  yards.  From  hence  the  progress 
continues  through  irregular  channels,  bounded 
by  rocks,  in  a  AVesterly  course  for  about  live 
miles,  to  the  little  Portage  des  Couteaux,  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  paces,  and  the 
Lac  des  Couteaux,  running  about  South-West 
by  West  twelve  miles,  and  from  a  quarter  to 
two  miles  wide.  A  deep  bay  runs  East  three 
miles  from  the  West  end,  where  it  is  dis- 
charged by  a  rapid  river,  and  after  running 
two  miles  West,  it  again  becomes  still  water. 
In  this  river  are  two  carrying-places,  the  one 
fifteen,  and  the  other  one  hundred  and  ninety 
paces.  From  this  to  tlie  Portage  des  Carpes 
is  one  mile  North- West,  leaving  a  narrow  lake 
on  the  East  that  runs  parallel  with  the  Lac 
des  Couteaux,  half  its  length,  where  there  is 
a  carrying-place,  which  is  used  when  the 
water  in  the  river  last  mentioned  is  too  low. 
The  Portage  des  Carpes  is  three  hundred  and 
ninety  paces,  from  whence  the  water  spreads 
irregularly  between  rocks,  five  miles  North- 
AVest  and  South-East  to  the  Portage  of  Lac 
Bois  Blanc,  which  is  one  hundred  and  eighty 

paces.     Then  follows  the  lake  of  that  name, 
Ixxxviii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE.  &c. 

but  I  think  improperly  so  called,  as  the  na- 
tives name  it  the  Lac  Passeau  Miuac  Sagai- 
gan,  or  lake  of  Dry  Berries. 

Before  the  small-pox  ravaged  this  country, 
and  completed,  what  the  Nodowasis,  in  their 
warfare,  had  gone  far  to  accomplish,  the  de- 
struction of  its  inhabitants,  the  population 
was  very  numerous  :  this  was  also  a  favourite 
part,  where  they  made  their  canoes,  etc.,  the 
lake  abounding  in  fish,  the  country  round  it 
being  plentifully  supplied  with  various  kinds 
of  game,  and  the  rocky  ridges,  that  form  the 
boundaries  of  the  water,  covered  with  a  vari- 
ety of  berries. 

When  the  French  were  in  possession  of 
tliis  country,  they  had  several  trading  estab- 
lishments on  the  islands  and  banks  of  this 
lake.  Since  that  period,  the  few  people  re- 
maining, Avho  were  of  the  Algonquin  nation, 
could  hardly  find  subsistence;  game  having 
become  so  scarce,  that  they  depended  princi- 
pally for  food  upon  fish  and  wild  rice,  which 
grows  spontaneously  in  these  parts. 

This  lake  is  irregular  in  its  form,  and  its 
utmost  extent  from  East  to  West  is  fifteen 
miles;  a  point  of  land,  called  Point  an  Pin, 
jutting  into  it,  divides  it  in  two  parts:  it 
then  makes  a  second  angle  at  the  West  end, 
to  the  lesser  Portage  de  l^xjis  Blanc,  two  hun- 
dred paces  in  length.  This  channel  is  not 
wide,  and  is  intercepted  by  several  rapids  in 
Ixxxix 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

the  course  of  a  mile :  it  runs  West-North- 
West  to  the  Portage  des  Pius,  over  whieli  the 
canoe  and  lading  is  again  carried  four  hun- 
dred paces.  From  hence  the  channel  is  also 
intercepted  by  very  dangerous  rapids,  for  two 
miles  Westerly,  to  the  point  of  Pointe  du 
P)ois,  which  is  two  hundred  and  eighty  paces. 
Then  succeeds  the  portage  of  La  Croche,  one 
mile  more,  where  the  carrying-place  is  eighty 
paces,  and  is  followed  by  an  embarkation  on 
that  lake,  which  takes  its  name  from  its  fig- 
ure. It  extends  eighteen  miles,  in  a  mean- 
dering form,  and  in  a  westerly  direction ;  it 
is  in  general  very  narrow,  and  at  about  two- 
thirds  of  its  leiTgth  becomes  very  contracted, 
with  a  strong  current. 

Within  three  miles  of  the  last  Portage  is 
a  remarkable  rock,  with  a  smooth  face,  but 
split  and  cracked  in  diiferent  parts,  which 
hang  over  the  water.  Into  one  of  its  hori- 
zontal chasms  a  great  number  of  arrows  have 
been  shot,  which  is  said  to  have  been  done 
by  a  war  party  of  the  Nadowasis  or  Sieux, 
who  had  done  much  mischief  in  this  country, 
and  left  these  weapons  as  a  warning  to  the 
Chebois  or  natives,  that,  notwithstanding  its 
lakes,  rivers,  and  rocks,  it  was  not  inacces- 
sible to  their  enemies. 

Lake  Croche  is  terminated  by  the  Portage 
de  Rideau,  four  hundred  paces  long,  and  de- 
rives its  name  from  the  appearance  of  the 
xc 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  etc. 

water,  falling  over  a  rock  of  upwards  of 
thirty  feet.  Several  rapids  succeed,  with  in- 
tervals of  still  water,  for  about  three  miles  to 
the  Flacon  portage,  which  is  very  difficult,  is 
four  hundred  paces  long,  and  leads  to  the 
Lake  of  La  Croix,  so  named  from  its  shape. 
It  runs  about  North- West  eighteen  miles  to 
the  Beaver  Dam,  and  then  sinks  into  a  deep 
bay  nearly  East.  The  course  to  the  Portage 
is  West  by  ]S"orth  for  sixteen  miles  more  from 
the  Beaver  Dam,  and  into  the  East  bay  is  a 
road  which  was  frequented  by  the  French, 
and  followed  through  lakes  and  rivers  until 
they  came  to  Lake  Superior  by  the  river 
Caministiquia,  thirty  miles  East  of  the 
Grande  Portage. 

Portage  la  Croix  is  six  hundred  paces  long: 
to  the  next  portage  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and 
its  length  is  forty  paces ;  the  river  winding 
four  miles  to  Vermillion  Lake,  which  runs 
six  or  seven  miles  North-jSTorth-West,  and  by 
a  narrow  strait  communicates  with  Lake 
Namaycan,  which  takes  its  name  from  a  par- 
ticular place  at  the  foot  of  a  fall,  where  the 
natives  spear  sturgeon :  Its  course  is  about 
North-North-West  and  South-South-East, 
with  a  bay  running  East,  that  gives  it  tlie 
form  of  a  triangle :  its  length  is  about  sixteen 
miles  to  the  Nouvelle  Portage. 

The  discharge  of  the  lake  is  from  a  bay  on 
the  left,  and  tlie  portage  one  liundred  eighty 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

paces,  to  which  succeeds  a  very  small  river, 
from  whence  tliere  is  but  a  short  distance  to 
the  next  Nouvelle  Portage,  three  hundred  and 
twenty  paces  long.  It  is  tlien  necessary  to 
embark  on  a  swamp,  or  overflowed  country, 
where  wild  rice  grows  in  great  abundance. 
There  is  a  channel  or  small  river  in  the  cen- 
tre of  this  swam]),  which  is  kept  with  diffi- 
culty, aiul  runs  South  and  North  one  mile 
and  a  lialf.  With  deejx'ning  water,  the 
course  continues  North-North-West  one  mile 
to  the  Chaudiere  Portage,  which  is  caused  by 
the  discharge  of  the  waters  running  on  the 
left  of  the  road  from  Lake  Namaycan,  wliicli 
used  to  be  the  common  route,  but  that  whieli 
I  have  described  is  the  safest  as  well  as  short- 
est. From  hence  there  is  some  current  thougli 
the  Avater  is  wide  spread,  and  its  course  about 
North  by  West  three  miles  and  an  half  to 
the  Lac  de  la  Pluie,  which  lies  nearly  East 
and  West;  from  thence  about  fifteen  miles  is 
a  narrow  strait  that  divides  tlie  lake  into  two 
unequal  parts,  from  whence  to  its  discharge 
is  a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles.  There  is 
a  deep  bay  running  North-West  on  the  right, 
that  is  not  included,  and  is  remarkable  for 
furnishing  the  natives  with  a  kind  of  soft, 
red  stone,  of  which  they  make  their  pipes ;  it 
also  affords  an  excellent  fishery  both  in  the 
summer  and  winter;  and  from  it  is  an  easy, 
safe,  and  short  road  to  the  Lac  du  Bois, 
xcii 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE.  &c. 

(which  I  shall  mention  presently)  for  the 
Indians  to  pass  in  their  small  canoes,  through 
a  small  lake  and  on  a  small  river,  whose 
banks  furnish  abundance  of  wild  rice.  The 
discharge  of  this  lake  is  called  Lac  de  la 
Pluie  River,  at  whose  entrance  there  is  a 
rapid  below,  which  is  a  fine  bay,  where  there 
had  been  an  extensive  picketed  fort  and 
building  when  possessed  by  the  French :  the 
site  of  it  is  at  present  a  beautiful  meadow, 
surrounded  with  groves  of  oaks.  From  hence 
there  is  a  strong  current  for  two  miles,  where 
the  water  falls  over  a  rock  twenty  feet,  and, 
from  the  consequent  turbulence  of  the  water, 
the  carrying-place,  which  is  three  hundred 
and  twenty  paces  long,  derives  the  name  of 
Chaudiere.  Two  miles  onward  is  the  present 
trading  establishment,  situated  on  an  high 
bank  on  the  I^orth  side  of  the  river,  in  48. 
37.  North  latitude. 

Here  the  people  from  Montreal  come  to 
meet  those  who  arrive  from  the  Athabasca 
country,  as  has  been  already  described,  and 
exchange  lading  with  them.  This  is  also  the 
residence  of  the  first  chief,  or  Sachem,  of  all 
the  Algonqum  tribes,  inhabiting  the  different 
parts  of  this  country.  He  is  by  distinction 
called  Nectam,  which  implies  personal  pre- 
eminence. Here  also  the  elders  meet  in 
council  to  treat  of  peace  or  war. 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  rivers  in  the 
xciii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

North- West,  and  nuis  a  course  West  and 
East  one  hundred  and  twenty  computed 
miles;  but  in  taking  its  course  and  distance 
minutely  I  make  it  only  eighty.  Its  banks 
are  covered  with  a  rich  soil,  i)articularly  to  the 
North,  which,  in  many  parts,  are  clothed 
with  iine  open  groves  of  oak,  with  the  maple, 
the  pine,  and  the  cedar.  The  Southern  bank 
is  not  so  elevated,  and  displays  the  maple, 
the  white  birch,  and  the  cedar,  Avith  the 
spruce,  the  alder,  and  various  underwood. 
Its  waters  abound  in  lish,  particularly  the 
sturgeon,  which  the  natives  both  spear  and 
take  with  drag-nets.  But  notwithstanding 
the  promise  of  this  soil,  the  Indians  do  not 
attend  to  its  cultivation,  though  they  are  not 
ignorant  of  the  common  process,  and  are  fond 
of  the  Indian  corn,  when  they  can  get  it  from 
us. 

Though  the  soil  at  the  fort  is  a  stiff  clay, 
there  is  a  garden,  which,  unassisted  as  it  is 
by  manure,  or  any  particular  attention,  is 
tolerably  productive. 

We  now  proceed  to  mention  the  Lac  du 
Bois,  into  which  this  river  discharges  itself 
in  latitude  49.  North,  and  was  formerly  fa- 
mous for  the  richness  of  its  banks  and  waters, 
which  abounded  Avith  whatever  Avas  necessary 
to  a  savage  life.  The  French  had  several 
settlements  in  and  about  it;  but  it  might  be 
almost  concluded,  that  some  fatal  circum- 
xciv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

stance  had  destroyed  the  game,  as  war  and 
the  small-pox  had  diminished  the  inhabi- 
tants, it  having  been  very  nnproductive  in 
animals  since  the  British  subjects  have  been 
engaged  in  travelling  through  it;  though  it 
now  appears  to  be  recovering  its  pristine 
state.  The  few  Indians  who  inhabit  it  might 
live  very  comfortably,  if  they  were  not  so 
immoderately  fond  of  spirituous  liquors. 

This  lake  is  also  rendered  remarkable,  in 
consequence  of  the  Americans  having  named 
it  as  the  spot,  from  which  a  line  of  boundary, 
between  them  and  British  America,  was  to 
run  West,  until  it  struck  the  Mississippi: 
which,  however,  can  never  happen,  as  the 
North-West  part  of  the  Lac  du  Bois  is  in 
latitude  49.  37.  North,  and  longitude  94.31. 
West,  and  the  Northernjnost  branch  of  the 
source  of  the  Mississippi  is  in  latitude  47.  38. 
North,  and  longitude  95.  6.  West,  ascertained 
by  ]Mr.  Thomson,  astronomer  to  the  North- 
AVest  Company,  wlio  was  sent  expressly  for 
that  purpose  in  the  si)ring  of  1798.  He,  in 
the  same  year,  determined  the  Northern  bend 
of  the  Mississoury  to  be  in  latitude  47.  32. 
North,  and  longitude  101.  25.  West;  and, 
according  to  the  Indian  accounts,  it  runs  to 
the  south  of  West,  so  that  if  the  Mississoury 
were  even  to  be  considered  as  the  Mississippi, 
no  Western  line  could  strike  it. 

It  does  not  a])pear  to  mo  to  be  clearly  de- 
xcv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

termined  what  course  the  Line  is  to  take,  or 
from  what  part  of  Lake  Superior  it  strikes 
through  the  country  to  the  Lac  du  Bois :  were 
it  to  follow  the  principal  waters  to  tlieir 
source,  it  ought  to  keep  through  Lake  Supe- 
rior to  the  River  St.  Louis,  and  follow  that 
river  to  its  source ;  close  to  which  is  the 
source  of  the  waters  falling  into  the  river  of 
Lac  la  Pluie,  which  is  a  common  route  of  the 
Indians  to  the  Lac  du  Bois;  the  St.  Louis 
passes  within  a  short  distance  of  a  branch  of 
the  jNIississippi,  where  it  becomes  navigable 
for  canoes.  This  will  appear  more  evident 
from  consulting  the  map :  and  if  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Mississippi  is  considered  as  of  any 
consequence  by  this  country,  from  that  part 
of  the  globe,  such  is  the  nearest  Avay  to  get 
at  it. 

But  to  return  to  our  narrative.  The  Lac 
du  Bois  is,  as  far  as  I  could  learn,  nearly 
round,  and  the  canoe  course  through  the  cen- 
tre of  it  among  a  cluster  of  islands,  some  of 
which  are  so  extensive  that  they  may  be 
taken  for  the  mainland.  The  reduced  course 
would  be  nearly  South  and  North.  But  fol- 
lowing the  navigating  course,  I  make  the  dis- 
tance seventy-five  miles,  though  in  a  direct 
line  it  would  fall  very  short  of  that  length. 
At  about  two-thirds  of  it  there  is  a  small 
carrying-place,  when  the  water  is  low.  The 
carrying-place  out  of  the  Lake  is  on  the  isl- 
xcvi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

and,  and  named  Portage  du  Rat,  in  latitude 
49.  37.  North,  and  longitude  94.  15.  West; 
it  is  about  fifty  paces  long.  The  lake  dis- 
charges itself  at  both  ends  of  this  island,  and 
forms  the  River  Winipie,  which  is  a  large 
body  of  water,  interspersed  with  numerous 
islands,  causing  various  channels  and  inter- 
ruptions of  portages  and  rapids.  In  some 
parts  it  has  the  appearance  of  lakes,  with 
steady  currents ;  I  estimate  its  winding  course 
to  the  Dalles  eight  miles;  to  the  Grand 
Decharge  twenty-five  miles  and  an  half, 
Avhicli  is  a  long  carrying-place  for  the  goods ; 
from  thence  to  the  little  Decharge  one  mile 
and  an  half ;  to  the  Terre  Jaune  Portage  two 
miles  and  an  half;  then  to  its  galet  seventy 
yards ;  two  miles  and  three  quarters  to  the 
Terre  Blanche,  near  which  is  a  fall  of  from 
four  to  five  feet;  three  miles  and  an  half  to 
Portage  de  L'Isle,  where  there  is  a  trading- 
post,  and,  about  eleven  miles,  on  the  north 
shore,  a  trading  establishment,  which  is  the 
road  in  boats,  to  Albany  River,  and  from 
thence  to  Hudson 's-Bay.  There  is  also  a 
communication  with  Lake  Superior,  through 
what  is  called  the  Nipigan  country,  which 
enters  that  Lake  about  thirty-five  leagues  East 
of  the  Grande  Portage.  In  short,  the  coun- 
try is  so  broken  by  lakes  and  rivers,  that 
people  may  find  their  way  in  canoes  in  any 
direction  they  please.  It  is  now  four  miles 
7  xcvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

to  I'ovtage  de  L'Isle,  which  is  but  short, 
though  several  canoes  have  been  lost  in  at- 
tempting to  run  the  rapid.  From  thence  it 
is  twenty-six  miles  to  Jacob's  Falls,  which 
are  about  fifteen  feet  high ;  and  six  miles  and 
an  half  to  the  woody  point ;  forty  yards  from 
whicli  is  another  Portage.  They  both  form 
an  high  fall,  but  not  perpendicular.  From 
thence  to  another  galet,  or  rock  Portage,  is 
about  two  miles,  which  is  one  continual  rajjid 
and  cascade ;  and  about  two  miles  further  is 
the  Chute  a  I'Esclave,  which  is  upward  of 
thirty  feet.  The  Portage  is  long,  through  a 
pomt  covered  Avith  wood :  it  is  six  miles  and 
an  half  more  to  the  barrier,  and  ten  miles  to 
the  Grand  Rai)i(l .  From  thence,  on  the  North 
side,  is  a  safe  road,  when  the  waters  are 
high,  through  small  rivers  and  lakes,  to  the 
Lake  du  Bonnet,  called  the  Pinnawas,  from 
the  man  who  discovered  it:  to  the  White 
River,  so  called  from  its  being,  for  a  consid- 
erable length,  a  succession  of  falls  and  cata- 
racts, is  twelve  miles.  Here  are  seven  ])ort- 
ages,  in  so  short  a  space,  that  the  whole  of 
them  are  discernible  at  the  same  moment. 
From  this  to  Lake  du  Bonnet  is  fifteen  miles 
more,  and  four  miles  across  it  to  the  rapid. 
Here  the  Pinnawas  Road  joins,  and  from 
thence  it  is  two  miles  to  the  Galet  du  Lac  du 
Bonnet;  from  this  to  the  Galet  du  Bonnet 
one  mile  and  an  half ;  thence  to  the  Portage 
xcviii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  *!cc. 

of  the  same  name  is  three  miles.  This  port- 
age is  near  half  a  league  in  length,  and  de- 
rives its  name  from  tlie  custom  the  Indians 
have  of  crowning  stones,  laid  in  a  circle  on 
the  highest  rock  in  the  portage,  with  wreaths 
of  herbage  and  branches.  There  have  been 
examples  of  men  taking  seven  packages  of 
ninety  pounds  each,  at  one  end  of  the  port- 
age, and  putting  them  down  at  the  other 
without  stopping. 

To  this  another  small  portage  immediately 
succeeds,  over  a  rock  producing  a  fall.  From 
thence  to  the  fall  of  Terre  Blanche  is  two 
miles  and  an  half;  to  the  first  portage  Des 
Eaux  qui  Remuent  is  three  miles ;  to  the 
next,  of  the  same  name,  is  but  a  few  yards 
distant;  to  the  third  and  last,  which  is  a 
Decharge,  is  three  miles  and  an  half;  and 
from  this  to  the  last  Portage  of  the  river,  onfi 
mile  and  an  half;  and  to  the  establishment, 
or  provision  house,  is  two  miles  and  an  half. 
Here  also  the  French  had  their  principal  in- 
land depot,  and  got  their  canoes  made. 

It  is  here  that  the  present  .traders,  going  to 
great  distances,  and  where  provision  is  diffi- 
cult to  procure,  receive  a  supply  to  carry 
them  to  the  Rainy  Lake,  or  Lake  Superior. 
From  the  establishment  to  the  entrance  of 
Lake  Winipic,  is  four  miles  and  an  half,  lat- 
itude 50.  .37.  North. 

The  country,  soil,  |)roduce,  and  climate, 
xcix 


A  GENERAL   IIISTOKY 

from  Lake  Superior  to  this  place,  bear  a  gen- 
eral resemblance,  with  a  predominance  of 
rock  and  water :  the  former  is  of  the  granite 
kind.  Where  there  is  any  soil  it  is  well  cov- 
ered with  wood,  such  as  oak,  elm,  ash  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  maple  of  two  kinds,  pines  of 
various  descriptions,  among  which  are  what 
I  call  the  cypress,  with  the  hickory,  iron- 
wood,  laird,  poplar,  cedar,  black  and  white 
birch,  etc.,  etc.  Vast  quantities  of  wild  rice 
are  seen  throughout  the  country,  which  the 
natives  collect  in  the  month  of  August  for 
their  winter  stores.*  To  the  North  of  tifty 
degrees  it  is  hardly  known,  or  at  least  does 
not  come  to  maturity. 

Lake  Winipic  is  the  great  reservoir  of  sev- 
eral large  rivers,  and  discharges  itself  by  the 
Eiver  Nelson  into  Hudson's  Bay.  The  first 
in  rotation,  next  to  that  I  have  just  de- 
scribed, is  the  Assiniboin,  or  Ked  River, 
which  at  the  distance  of  forty  miles  coast- 
wise, disembogues  on  the  south  west  side  of 
the  Lake  Winipic.  It  alternately  receives 
those  two  denominations  from  its  dividing, 
at  the  distance  of  about  thirty  miles  from  the 
lake,  into  two  large  branches.  The  Eastern 
branch,  called  the  Red  River,  runs  in  a 
Southern  direction  to  near  the  head  waters  of 

*  The  fruits  are,  strawberries,  hurtieberries,  plums, 
and  cherries,  hazelnuts,  gooseberries,  currants,  rasp- 
berries, poires,  etc. 

c 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

the  jMississippi.  On  this  are  two  trading 
establishments.  The  country  on  either  side 
is  but  partially  supplied  with  wood,  and  con- 
sists of  plains  covered  with  herds  of  the  buf- 
falo and  elk,  especially  on  the  Western  side. 
On  the  Eastern  side  are  lakes  and  rivers,  and 
the  whole  country  is  well  wooded,  level, 
abounding  in  beaver,  bears,  moose-deer,  fal- 
low deer,  etc.,  etc.  The  natives,  who  are  of 
the  Algonquin  tribe,  are  not  very  numerous, 
and  are  considered  as  the  natives  of  Lake 
Superior.  This  country  being  near  the  Mis- 
sissippi, is  also  inhabited  by  the  Nadowasis, 
who  are  the  natural  enemies  of  the  former ; 
the  head  of  the  water  bemg  the  war-line,  they 
are  in  a  continual  state  of  hostility;  and 
though  the  Algonquins  are  equally  brave,  the 
others  generally  out-number  them ;  it  is  very 
probable,  therefore,  that  if  the  latter  continue 
to  venture  out  of  the  woods,  which  form 
their  only  protection,  they  will  soon  be  ex- 
tirpated. There  is  not,  perhaps,  a  finer  coun- 
try in  the  world  for  the  residence  of  uncivil- 
ised man,  than  that  Avhich  occupies  the  space 
between  this  river  and  Lake  Superior.  It 
abounds  in  every  thing  necessary  to  the  wants 
and  comforts  of  such  a  people.  Fish,  veni- 
son, and  fowl,  with  wild  rice,  are  in  great 
plenty ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  their  subsist- 
ence requires  that  bodily  exercise  so  neces- 
sary to  health  and  vigour. 
ci 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

This  great  extent  of  country  was  formerly 
very  populous,  but  from  the  information  I 
received,  the  aggregate  of  its  inhabitants  does 
not  exceed  three  hundred  warriors;  and, 
among  the  few  whom  I  saw,  it  appeared  to 
me  that  tlie  widows  Avere  more  numerous  than 
tlie  men.  The  raccoon  is  a  native  of  this 
country,  but  is  sehhjm  found  to  the  North- 
ward of  it. 

The  other  branch  is  called  after  the  tribe 
of  the  Nadowasis,  who  here  go  by  the  name 
of  Assiniboins,  and  are  the  principal  inhabi- 
tants of  it.  It  runs  from  the  North-North- 
West,  and  in  the  latitude  of  51.  15.  West, 
and  longitude  103.  20.,  rising  in  the  same 
mountains  as  the  river  Dauphin,  of  which  I 
shall  speak  in  due  order.  They  must  have 
separated  from  their  nation  at  a  time  beyond 
our  knowledge,  and  live  in  peace  with  the 
Algonquins  and  Knisteneaux. 

The  country  between  this  and  the  Red 
River,  is  almost  a  continual  plain  to  the  Mis- 
sissoury.  The  soil  is  sand  and  gravel,  with 
a  slight  intermixture  of  eartli,  and  produces 
a  short  grass.  Trees  are  very  rare;  nor  are 
there  on  the  banks  of  the  river  suflficient, 
except  in  particular  spots,  to  build  houses 
and  supply  fire-wood  for  the  trading  establish- 
ments, of  which  there  are  four  principal  ones. 
Both  these  rivers  are  navigable  for  canoes  to 
their  source,  without  a  fall ;  though  in  some 
cii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

parts  there  are  rapids,  caiised  by  occasional 
beds  of  limestone,  and  gravel ;  but  in  general 
the}'  have  a  sandy  bottom. 

The  Assiniboins,  and  some  of  the  Fall,  or 
Big-bellied  Indians,  are  the  principal  inhabi- 
tants of  this  country,  and  border  on  the  river, 
occupying  the  centre  part  of  it;  that  next 
Lake  Winipic,  and  about  its  source,  being  the 
station  of  the  Algonquins  and  Knisteneaux, 
who  have  chosen  it  in  preference  to  their  own 
country.  They  do  not  exceed  five  hundred 
families.  They  are  not  beaver  hunters,  which 
accounts  for  their  allowing  the  division  just 
mentioned,  as  the  lower  and  upper  parts  of 
this  river  have  those  animals,  which  are  not 
found  in  the  intermediate  district.  They 
confine  themselves  to  hunting  the  buffalo, 
and  trapping  wolves,  which  cover  the  coun- 
try. What  they  do  not  want  of  the  former 
for  raiment  and  food,  they  sometimes  make 
into  pemmican,  or  pounded  meat,  while  they 
melt  the  fat,  and  prepare  the  skins  in  their 
hair,  for  winter.  The  wolves  they  never  eat, 
but  produce  a  tallow  from  their  fat,  and  pre- 
pare their  skins ;  all  which  they  bring  to  ex- 
change for  arms  and  ammunition,  rum,  to- 
bacco, knives,  and  various  baubles,  with  tliose 
who  go  to  traffic  in  their  country. 

The  Algonquins,  and  tlie  Knisteneaux,  on 
the  contrary,  attend  to  the  fur-hunting,  so 
that  they  acquire  the  additional  articles  of 
ciii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

cloth,  blankets,  etc.,  but  their  passion  for 
rum  often  puts  it  out  of  their  power  to  sup- 
ply themselves  with  real  necessaries. 

The  next  river  of  magnitude  is  the  river 
Dauphin,  which  empties  itself  at  the  head  of 
St.  Martin's  Bay,  on  the  West  side  of  the 
Lake  Winipic,  latitude  nearly  52.  15.  North, 
taking  its  source  in  the  same  mountains  as 
the  last-mentioned  river,  as  well  as  the 
Swan  and  Red-Deer  rivers,  the  latter  passing 
through  the  lake  of  the  same  name,  as  well 
as  the  former,  and  both  continuing  their 
course  through  the  Manitoba  Lake,  which, 
from  thence,  runs  parallel  with  Lake  Wini- 
pic, to  within  nine  miles  of  the  Red  River, 
and  by  what  is  called  the  river  Dauphin,  dis- 
embogues its  waters,  as  already  described, 
into  that  lake.  These  rivers  are  very  rapid, 
and  interrupted  by  falls,  etc.,  the  bed  being 
generally  rocky.  All  this  country,  to  the 
South  branch  of  the  Saskatchiwine,  abounds 
in  beaver,  moose-deer,  fallow-deer,  elks, 
bears,  buffaloes,  etc.  The  soil  is  good,  and 
wherever  any  attempts  have  been  made  to 
raise  the  esculent  plants,  etc.,  it  has  been 
found  productive. 

On  these  waters  are  three  principal  forts 
for  trade.  Fort  Dauphin,  which  was  estab- 
lished by  the  French  before  the  conquest. 
Red-Deer  River,  and  Swan-River  Forts,  witli 
occasional  detaelied  jtosts  from  these.  The 
civ 


OF  THE  FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

inhabitants  are  the  Knisteneaux,  from  the 
North  of  Lake  Winipic;  and  Algonquins 
from  the  country  between  the  Red  River  and 
Lake  Superior;  and  some  from  the  Rainy- 
Lake  :  but  as  they  are  not  fixed  inhabitants, 
their  number  cannot  be  determined :  they  do 
not,  however,  at  any  time  exceed  two  hun- 
dred warriors.  In  general  they  are  good 
hunters.  There  is  no  other  considerable 
river  except  the  Saskatchiwine,  which  I  shall 
mention  presently,  that  empties  itself  into 
the  Lake  Winipic. 

Those  on  the  North  side  are  inconsider- 
al^le,  owing  to  the  comparative  vicinity  of  the 
high  land  that  separates  the  waters  coming 
this  way,  from  those  discharging  into  Hud- 
son's Bay.  The  course  of  the  lake  is  about 
West-Xorth-West  and  South-South-East,  and 
the  East  end  of  it  is  in  50.  37.  North.  It 
contracts  at  about  a  quarter  of  its  length  to 
a  strait,  in  latitude  51.  45.,  and  is  no  more 
than  two  miles  broad,  where  the  South  shore 
is  gained  through  islands,  and  crossing  vari- 
ous bays  to  the  discharge  of  the  Saskatchi- 
wine, in  latitude  53.  15.  This  lake,  in  com- 
mon with  those  of  this  country,  is  bounded 
on  the  North  with  l)anks  of  black  and  grey 
rock,  and  on  the  South  by  a  low  level  coun- 
try, occasionally  interrupted  with  a  ridge  or 
bank  of  lime-stoues,  lying  in  stratas,  and  ris- 
ing to  the  perpendicular  height  of  from 
cv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

twenty  to  forty  feet ;  these  are  covered  with 
a  small  (luantity  of  earth,  forming  a  level 
surface,  which  l)ears  timber,  but  of  a  mod- 
erate growth,  and  declines  to  a  swamp. 
Where  tlie  banks  arc  low,  it  is  evident  in 
many  places  that  the  waters  are  withdrawn, 
and  never  rise  to  those  heights  which  were 
formerly  washed  by  them. 

The  inhabitants  who  are  found  along  this 
lake  are  of  the  Knisteneaux  and  Algonquin 
tribes,  and  but  few  in  number,  though  game 
is  not  scarce,  and  there  is  fish  in  great  abun- 
dance. The  black  bass  is  found  there,  and 
no  further  West;  and  beyond  it  no  maple 
trees  are  seen,  either  hard  or  soft. 

On  entering  the  Saskatchiwine,  in  the 
course  of  a  few  miles,  the  great  rapid  inter- 
rupts the  passage.  It  is  about  three  miles 
long.  Through  the  greatest  part  of  it  the 
canoe  is  towed,  half  or  full  laden,  according 
to  the  state  of  the  waters :  the  canoe  and  its 
contents  are  then  carried  one  thousand  one 
hundred  paces.  The  channel  here  is  near  a 
mile  wide,  the  waters  tumbling  over  ridges  of 
rocks  that  traverse  the  river.  The  South 
bank  is  very  high,  rising  upwards  of  fifty 
feet,  of  the  same  rock  as  seen  on  the  South 
side  of  the  Lake  Winipic,  and  the  North  is 
not  more  than  a  third  of  that  height.  There 
is  an  excellent  sturgeon-fishery  at  the  foot  of 
this  cascade,  and  vast  numbers  of  pelicans, 
cvi 


OF  THE   FUR   TKADE,  &c. 

cormorants,  etc.,  frequent  it,  where  they 
watch  to  seize  the  fish  that  may  be  killed  or 
disabled  by  the  force  of  the  waters. 

About  two  miles  from  this  Portage  the 
navigation  is  again  interrupted  by  the  Port- 
age of  the  Roche  Rouge,  which  is  an  hundred 
yards  long;  and  a  mile  and  an  half  from 
thence  the  river  is  barred  by  a  range  of  isl- 
ands, forming  rapids  between  them;  and 
through  these  it  is  the  same  distance  to  the 
rapid  of  Lake  Travers,  which  is  four  miles 
right  across,  and  eight  miles  in  length.  Then 
succeeds  the  Grande  Decharge,  and  several 
rapids,  for  four  miles  to  the  Cedar  Lake, 
which  is  entered  through  a  small  channel  on 
the  left,  formed  by  an  island,  as  going  round 
it  would  occasion  loss  of  time.  In  this  dis- 
tance banks  of  rocks  (such  as  have  already 
been  described)  appear  at  intervals  on  either 
side;  the  rest  of  the  country  is  low.  This  is 
the  case  along  the  South  bank  of  the  lake  and 
the  islands,  while  the  North  side,  which  is 
very  uncommon,  is  level  throughout.  This 
lake  runs  first  West  four  miles,  then  as  much 
more  West-South- West,  across  a  deep  bay  on 
the  right,  then  six  miles  to  the  Point  de 
Lievre,  and  across  another  bay  again  on  the 
right;  then  North-West  eight  miles,  across 
a  still  deeper  bay  on  the  right;  and  seven 
miles  parallel  with  the  North  coast,  North- 
North- West  through  islands,  five  miles  more 
cvii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

to  Fort  Bourbon,*  situated  on  a  small  island, 
dividing  this  from  Mud  Lake. 

The  Cedar  Lake  is  from  four  to  twelve 
miles  wide,  exclusive  of  the  bays.  Its  banks 
are  covered  with  wood,  and  abound  in  game, 
and  its  waters  produce  plenty  of  lish,  partic- 
ularly the  sturgeon.  The  Mud  Lake,  and 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  Fort  Bourbon, 
abound  with  geese,  ducks,  swans,  etc.,  and 
was  formerly  remarkable  for  a  vast  number 
of  martens,  of  which  it  cannot  now  boast  but 
a  very  small  proportion. 

The  Mud  Lake  must  have  formerly  been  a 
part  of  the  Cedar  Lake,  but  the  immense 
quantity  of  earth  and  sand,  brought  down  by 
the  Saskatchiwine,  has  filled  up  this  part  of 
it  for  a  circumference  whose  diameter  is  at 
least  fifteen  or  twenty  miles :  part  of  which 
space  is  still  covered  with  a  few  feet  of  water, 
but  the  greatest  proportion  is  shaded  with 
large  trees,  such  as  the  Hard,  the  swamp-ash, 
and  the  willow.  This  land  consists  of  many 
islands,  which  consequently  form  various 
chamiels,  several  of  which  are  occasionally 
dry,  and  bearing  young  wood.  It  is,  indeed, 
more  than  probable  that  this  river  will,  in 
the  course  of  time,  convert  the  whole  of  the 
Cedar  Lake  into  a  forest.  To  the  North- 
West  the  cedar  is  not  to  be  found. 

*Tliis  was  also  a  principal  post  of  the  Frt'ii(;li, 
who  gave  it  its  uame. 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  &c. 

From  this  lake  the  Saskatchiwiue  may  be 
considered  as  navigable  to  near  its  source  in 
the  rocky  mountains,  for  canoes,  and  without 
a  carrying-place,  making  a  great  bend  to 
Cumberland  House,  on  Sturgeon  Lake.  From 
the  confluence  of  its  North  and  South 
branches  its  course  is  AVesterly;  spreading 
itself,  it  receives  several  tributary  streams, 
and  encompasses  a  large  tract  of  country, 
which  is  level,  particularly  along  the  South 
branch,  but  is  little  known.  Beaver,  and 
other  animals,  whose  furs  are  valuable,  are 
amongst  the  inhabitants  of  the  North- West 
branch,  and  the  plains  are  covered  with  buf- 
faloes, wolves,  and  small  foxes ;  particularly 
about  the  South  branch,  which,  however,  has 
of  late  claimed  some  attention,  as  it  is  now 
understood,  that  where  the  plains  terminate 
towards  the  rocky  mountain,  there  is  a  space 
of  hilly  country  clothed  with  wood,  and  in- 
habited also  by  animals  of  the  fur  kind.  This 
has  been  actually  determined  to  be  the  case 
towards  the  head  of  the  North  branch,  where 
the  trade  has  been  carried  to  about  the  lati- 
tude 54.  North,  and  longitude  114.  30.  West. 
The  bed  and  banks  of  the  latter,  in  some  few 
places,  discover  a  stratum  of  free-stone  ;  but, 
in  general,  they  are  composed  of  earth  and 
sand.  The  plains  are  sand  and  gravel,  cov- 
ered with  tine  grass,  and  mixed  with  a  small 

quantity  of  vegetable  earth.     This  is  partic- 
cix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

vilarly  observable  along  the  North   branch, 
the  West  side  of  which  is  covered  with  wood. 

There  are  on  this  river  five  principal 
factories  for  the  convenience  of  trade  with 
the  natives.  Nepawi  House,  South-branch 
House,  Fort-George  House,  Fort-Augustus 
House,  and  Upper  Establishment.  There 
have  been  many  others,  which,  from  various 
causes,  have  been  changed  for  these,  while 
there  are  occasionally  others  depending  on 
each  of  tlieni. 

The  inhabitants,  from  tlie  information  I 
could  obtain,  are  as  follow : 

At  Nepawi  and  South-Branch  House,  about 
thirty  tents  of  Knisteneaux,  or  ninety  war- 
riors; and  sixty  tents  of  Stone  Indians,  or 
Assiniboins,  who  are  their  neighbours,  and 
are  equal  to  two  hundred  men  :  their  hunting 
ground  extends  upwards  to  about  the  Eagle 
Hills.  Next  to  them  are  those  who  trade  at 
Forts  George  and  Augustus,  and  are  about 
eighty  tents  or  upwards  of  Knisteneaux :  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  their  number  may  be 
two  hundred.  In  the  same  country  are  one 
hundred  and  forty  tents  of  Stone  Indians : 
not  quite  half  of  them  inhabit  the  West 
woody  country ;  the  others  never  leave  the 
plains,  and  their  numbers  cannot  be  less  than 
four  hundred  and  fifty  men.  At  the  South- 
ern Head-waters  of  the  North-branch  dwells 
a  tribe  called  Sarsees,  consisting  of  about 
cx 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  etc. 

thirty-live  tents,  or  one  liundi-ed  and  twenty 
men.  Opposite  to  those  Eastward,  on  the 
head- waters  of  the  South  Branch,  are  the 
Picaneaux,  to  the  number  of  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  hundred  men.  Xext  to  them,  on  the 
same  water,  are  the  Blood-Indians,  of  the 
same  nation  as  the  last,  to  the  number  of 
about  fifty  tents,  or  two  hundred  and  fifty 
men.  From  them  downwards  extend  the 
Black-Feet  Indians,  of  the  same  nation  as 
the  two  last  tribes :  their  number  may  be 
eight  hundred  men.  Xext  to  them,  and  who 
extend  to  the  confluence  of  the  South  and 
Xorth  branch,  are  the  Fall,  or  Big-bellied 
Indians,  who  may  amount  to  about  six  hun- 
dred warriors. 

Of  all  these  different  tribes,  those  who  in- 
habit the  broken  country  on  the  North- West 
side,  and  the  source  of  the  North  branch,  are 
beaver-hunters ;  the  others  deal  in  provisions, 
wolf,  buffalo,  and  fox  skins;  and  many 
people  on  the  South  branch  do  not  trouble 
themselves  to  come  near  the  trading  es- 
tablishments. Those  who  do,  choose  such 
establishments  as  ai-e  next  to  their  country. 
The  Stone-Indians  here,  are  the  same  people 
as  the  Stone-Indians,  or  Assiniboins,  who 
inhabit  the  river  of  that  name  already  de- 
scribed, and  both  are  detached  tribes  from 
the  Nadowasis,  who  inhabit  the  Western  side 
of  the  Mississipjji,  and  lower  part  of  the  Mis- 
cxi 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

sisoury.  The  Fall,  or  Big-bellied  Indians, 
are  from  the  South-Eastward  also,  and  of  a 
l)eople  Avho  inhabit  the  plains  from  the  North 
bend  of  the  last  mentioned  river,  latitude  47. 
32.  North,  longitude  101.  25.  West,  to  the 
South  bend  of  the  Assiniboin  River,  to  the 
number  of  seven  hundred  men.  Some  of 
them  occasionally  come  to  the  latter  river  to 
exchange  dressed  buffalo  robes  and  bad  wolf- 
skins for  articles  of  no  great  value. 

The  Picaneaux,  Black-Feet,  and  Blood- 
Indians,  are  a  distinct  people,  speak  a  lan- 
guage of  their  own,  and,  I  have  reason  to 
think,  are  travelling  North- West,  as  well  as 
the  others  just  mentioned :  nor  have  I  heard 
of  any  Indians  with  whose  language  that 
which  they  speak  has  any  affinity. — They  are 
the  people  who  deal  in  horses,  and  take  them 
upon  the  war-parties  towards  Mexico ;  from 
which,  it  is  evident,  that  the  country  to  the 
South-East  of  them  consists  of  plains,  as 
those  animals  could  not  well  be  conducted 
through  an  hilly  and  woody  country,  inter- 
sected by  waters. 

The  Sarsees,  who  are  but  iew  in  number, 
appear  from  their  language,  to  come  on  the 
contrary  from  the  North- West,  and  are  of 
the  same  people  as  the  Rocky-Mountain  In- 
dians described  in  my  second  journal,  who 
are  a  tribe  of  the  Chepewyans;  and,  as  for 
the  Knisteneaux,  there  is  no  question  of  their 
cxii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

having  been,  and  continuing  to  be,  invaders 
of  this  country,  from  the  Eastward.  For- 
merly, they  struck  terror  into  all  the  other 
tribes  whom  they  met;  but  now  they  have 
lost  the  respect  that  was  paid  them ;  as  those 
whom  they  formerly  considered  as  barbarians 
are  now  their  allies,  and  consequently  become 
better  acquainted  witli  them,  and  have  ac- 
quired the  use  of  fire-arms.  The  former  are 
still  proud  without  power,  and  affect  to  con- 
sider the  others  as  their  inferiors :  those  con- 
sequently are  extremely  jealous  of  them,  and, 
depending  upon  their  own  superiority  in  num- 
bers, will  not  submit  tamely  to  their  insults ; 
so  tliat  the  consequences  often  prove  fatal, 
and  the  Knisteneaux  are  thereby  decreasing 
both  in  power  and  number ;  spirituous  liquors 
also  tend  to  their  diminution,  as  they  are  in- 
stigated thereby  to  engage  in  quarrels  which 
frequently  have  the  most  disastrous  termina- 
tion among  themselves. 

The  Stone-Indians  must  not  be  considered 
in  the  same  point  of  view  respecting  the 
Knisteneaux,  for  they  have  been  generally 
obliged,  from  various  causes,  to  court  their 
alliance.  They,  however,  are  not  without 
tlieir  disagreements,  and  it  is  sometimes  very 
(lithcult  to  compose  their  differences.  These 
(juarreLs  occasionally  take  place  with  the 
traders,  and  sometimes  liave  a  tragical  con- 
clusion. They  generally  originate  in  conse- 
8  cxiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

quence  of  stealing  women  and  horses:  tlioy 
have  great  numbers  of  tlie  hitter  throughout 
their  plains,  whicli  are  brought,  as  has  been 
obsei-ved,  from  the  Spanish  settlements  in 
Mexico;  and  many  of  them  have  been  seen 
even  in  the  back  parts  of  this  country,  branded 
Avith  the  initials  of  their  original  owners' 
names.  Those  horses  are  distinctly  employed 
as  beasts  of  burden,  and  to  chase  the  buffalo. 
The  former  are  not  considered  as  being  of 
much  value,  as  they  may  be  purchased  for  a 
gun,  which  costs  no  more  than  twenty-one 
shillings  in  Great  1  >ritain.  Many  of  the  hunt- 
ers cannot  be  purchased  with  ten,  the  com- 
parative value  of  which  exceeds  the  property 
of  any  native. 

Of  these  useful  animals  no  care  Avhatever 
is  taken,  as  when  they  are  no  longer  em- 
l)loyed,  they  are  turned  loose  winter  and 
summer  to  provide  for  themselves.  Here,  it 
is  to  be  observed,  that  the  country,  in  gen- 
eral, on  the  West  and  North  side  of  this 
great  river,  is  broken  by  the  lakes  and  rivers 
with  small  intervening  plains,  where  the  soil 
is  good,  and  the  grass  grows  to  some  length. 
To  these  the  male  buffaloes  resort  for  the 
winter,  and  if  it  be  very  severe,  the  females 
also  are  obliged  to  leave  the  plains. 

But  to  return  to  the  route  by  which  the 
progress  West  and  North  is  made  through 
this  continent. 

cxiv 


OF  THE  Fl  R   TRADE,  &c. 

We  leave  the  Saskatchiwiiie*  by  entering 
the  river  which  forms  the  discharge  of  the 
Sturgeon  Lake,  on  whose  East  bank  is  situ- 
ated Cumberland  house,  in  latitude  53.  56. 
Xorth,  longitude  102.  15.  The  distance  be- 
tween the  entrance  and  Cumberland  house  is 
estimated  at  twenty  miles.  It  is  very  evi- 
dent that  the  mud  Avhich  is  carried  down  by 
the  Saskatchiwine  Eiver,  has  formed  the  land 
that  lies  between  it  and  the  lake,  for  the  dis- 
tance of  upwards  of  twenty  miles  in  the  Ime 
of  the  river,  which  is  inundated  during  one 
half  of  the  summer,  though  covered  with 
wood.  This  lake  forms  an  irregular  horse- 
shoe, one  side  of  Avhich  runs  to  the  Xorth- 
West,  and  bears  the  name  of  Pine-Island 
Lake,  and  the  other,  known  by  the  name  al- 
ready mentioned,  runs  to  the  East  of  North, 
and  is  the  largest :  its  length  is  about  twenty- 
seven  miles,  and  its  greatest  breadth  about 
six  miles.  The  North  side  of  the  latter  is 
the  same  kind  of  rock  as  that  described  in 
Lake  Winipic,  on  the  West  shore.  In  lati- 
tude 54.  16.  North,  the  Sturgeon- Weir  River 
discharges  itself  into  this  lake,  and  its  bed 

*It  maybe  proper  to  observe,  that  the  French  had 
two  settlements  upon  the  Saskatchiwine,  long  be- 
fore, and  at  the  conquest  of  Canada;  the  first  at  the 
Pasquia,  near  Carrot  River,  and  the  other  at  Nipawi, 
where  they  had  agricultural  instruments  and  wheel 
carriages,  marks  of  both  being  found  about  those 
establishments,  where  the  soil  is  excellent. 
CXV 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

appears  to  ln'  dt"  the  same  kind  ot'  rock,  ami 
is  ahuust  a  continual  rapid.  Its  direct  course 
is  about  West  by  North,  and  with  its  wind- 
ings, is  about  thirty  miles.  It  takes  its  wa- 
ters into  the  Beaver  Lake  tlie  South-West 
side  of  which  consists  of  the  same  rock  lying 
in  thin  stratas :  the  route  then  proceeds  from 
island  to  island  for  about  twelve  miles,  and 
along  the  North  shore,  for  four  miles  more, 
the  whole  being  a  North- West  course  to  the 
entrance  of  a  river,  in  latitude  54.  o2.  North. 
The  lake,  for  this  distance,  is  about  four  or 
five  miles  wide,  and  abounds  with  fisli  com- 
mon to  the  country.  The  part  of  it  upon  the 
right  of  that  whicli  has  been  described,  ap- 
pears more  considerable.  The  islands  are 
rocky,  and  the  lake  itself  suri-ounded  by 
rocks.  The  communication  from  hence  to 
the  F>ouleau  Lake,  alternately  narrows  into 
rivers  and  spreads  into  small  lakes.  The 
interruptions  are,  the  Pente  Portage,  which 
is  succeeded  by  the  Grand  Rapid,  where 
there  is  a  Decharge,  the  Carp  I'ortage,  the 
Bouleau  Portage  in  latitude  54.  50.  North, 
including  a  distance,  together  Avith  the  wind- 
ings, of  thirty-four  miles,  in  a  "Westerly  di- 
rection. The  Lake  de  P)Ouleau  then  follows. 
This  lake  might  with  greater  propriety  be 
denominated  a  canal,  as  it  is  not  more  than 
a  mile  in  breadtli.  Its  course  is  rather  to  the 
East  of  North  for  twelve  miles  to  Portage  de 
cxvi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

L'Isle.  From  tlience  there  is  still  water  to 
Portage  d'Epinettes,  except  an  adjoining 
rapid.  The  distance  is  not  more  than  four 
miles  Westerly.  After  crossing  this  Port- 
age, it  is  not  more  than  two  miles  to  Lake 
]\Iiron,  which  is  in  latitude  55.  7.  North. 
Its  length  is  about  twelve  miles,  and  its 
breadth  irregular,  from  two  to  ten  nnles.  It 
is  only  separated  from  Lake  du  Chitique,  or 
Pelican  Lake,  by  a  short,  narroAV,  and  small 
strait.  That  lake  is  not  more  than  seven 
miles  long,  and  its  course  about  North-West. 
The  Lake  des  Bois  then  succeeds,  the  passage 
to  which  is  through  small  lakes,  separated 
by  falls  and  rapids.  The  first  is  a  Decharge  : 
then  follow  the  three  galets,  in  immediate 
succession.  From  hence  Lake  des  Bois  runs 
about  twenty-one  miles.  Its  course  is  South- 
South-East,  and  North-North-West,  and  is 
full  of  islands.  The  passage  continues 
through  an  intricate,  narrow,  winding,  and 
shallow  channel  for  eight  miles.  The  inter- 
ruptions in  this  distance  are  frequent,  but 
depend  much  on  the  state  of  the  waters. 
Having  passed  them,  it  is  necessary  to  cross 
the  Portage  de  Traite,  or,  as  it  is  called 
by  the  Indians,  Athiquisipichigan  Ouinigam, 
or  the  Portage  of  the  Stretched  Frog  Skin,  t) 
the  Missinipi.  The  waters  already  described 
discharge  themselves  into  Lake  Winipic,  and 
augment  those  of  the  river  Nelson.  These 
cxvii 


A  GENEKAL   HISTORY 

whicli  we  aiv  now  eiitciiiii^  urc  cuIUmI  tlic 
jMissinipi,  or  great  (.'Imrchill  ilivt;r. 

All  the  country  to  tlie  Houtli  and  East  of 
this,  within  the  line  of  the  i)rogress  that  has 
been  described,  is  intersjK'rsed  l)y  lakes,  hills, 
and  rivers,  and  is  full  or  animals,  of  the;  fur- 
kind,  as  well  as  the  moose-deer.  Its  inliabi- 
tants  are  the  Knisteneaux  Indians,  Avho  are 
called  by  the  servants  of  the  Hudson's  Ray 
Company,  at  York,  their  home-guards. 

The  traders  from  Canada  succeeded  for 
several  years  in  getting  the  largest  ])roportion 
of  their  furs,  till  the  year  1793,  when  the 
servants  of  that  company  thought  proper  to 
send  people  amongst  them,  (and  why  they 
did  not  do  it  before  is  best  known  to  them- 
selves), for  the  purpose  of  trade,  and  secur- 
ing their  credits,  which  the  Indians  were  apt 
to  forget.  From  the  short  distance  they  had 
to  come,  and  the  quantity  of  goods  they  sup- 
plied, the  trade  has,  iu  a  great  measure,  re- 
verted to  them,  as  the  merchants  from  Can- 
ada could  not  meet  them  upon  equal  terms. 
What  added  to  the  loss  of  the  latter,  was  the 
murder  of  one  of  their  traders  by  the  Indians, 
about  this  period.  Of  these  people  not  above 
eighty  men  have  been  known  to  the  traders 
from  Canada,  but  they  consist  of  a  much 
gi-eater  number. 

The  Portage  de  Traite,  as  has  been  already 
hinted,  received  its  name  from  Mr.  Joseph 
cxviii 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

J^'robisher,  who  penetrated  into  this  part  of 
the  country  from  Canada,  as  early  as  the 
years  1774  and  1775,  where  he  met  with  the 
Indians  in  the  spring,  on  their  way  to 
Churchill,  accordmg  to  annual  custom,  with 
their  canoes  full  of  valuable  furs.  They 
traded  with  him  for  as  many  of  them  as  his 
canoes  could  carry,  and  in  consequence  of 
this  transaction,  the  Portage  received  and 
has  since  retained  its  present  appellation. 
He  also  denominated  these  waters  the  Eng- 
lish River.  The  Missinipi  is  the  name 
which  it  received  from  the  Knisteneaux, 
when  they  first  came  to  this  country,  and 
either  destroyed  or  drove  back  the  natives, 
whom  they  held  in  great  contempt,  on  many 
accounts,  but  particularly  for  their  ignorance 
in  hunting  the  beaver,  as  well  as  in  prepar- 
ing, stretching,  and  drying  the  skins  of  those 
animals.  And  as  a  sign  of  their  derision, 
they  stretched  the  skin  of  a  frog,  and  hung  it 
up  at  the  Portage.  This  was,  at  that  tune, 
the  utmost  extent  of  their  conquest  or  war- 
faring  progress  West,  and  is  in  latitude  55. 
25.  Xorth,  and  longitude  103.  45.  West. 
The  river  here,  which  bears  the  appearance 
of  a  lake,  takes  its  name  from  the  Portage, 
and  is  full  of  islands.  It  runs  from  East  to 
West  about  sixteen  miles,  and  is  from  four 
to  five  miles  broad.  Then  succeed  falls  and 
cascades  which  form  what  is  called  the  grand 
cxix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

rapid.  From  tlu'iico  tluMv  is  a  succession  of 
small  lakes  and  rivers,  interrupted  by  rapids 
and  falls,  viz.,  the  Portage  de  I^areel,  the 
Portage  de  L'Isle,  and  that  of  the  Kai)id 
River.  The  course  is  twenty  miles  from 
East-South-East  to  North-Xorth-West.  The 
Rai)id-River  Lake  then  runs  West  five  miles, 
and  is  of  an  oval  forjn.  The  ra})id  river  is 
the  discharge  of  Lake  la  Ronge,  where  there 
has  been  an  establishment  for  trade  from  the 
year  1782.  Since  the  small-pox  ravaged 
these  parts,  there  have  been  but  few  inhabi- 
tants; these  are  of  the  Knisteueaux  ti'ibe,  and 
do  not  exceed  thirty  men.  The  direct  navi- 
gation continues  to  be  through  rivers  and  ca- 
nals, interrupted  by  rapids ;  and  the  distance 
to  the  first  Decharge  is  four  miles,  in  a  West- 
erly direction.  Then  follows  Lake  de  la 
Montague,  which  runs  South-South-West 
three  miles  and  an  half,  then  North  six  miles, 
through  narrow  channels,  formed  by  islands, 
and  continues  North-Xorth-West  five  miles, 
to  the  portage  of  the  same  name,  which  is  no 
sooner  crossed,  than  another  appears  in  sight, 
leading  to  the  Otter  Lake,  from  whence  it 
is  nine  miles  Westerly  to  the  Otter  Portage, 
in  latitude  55.  39.  Between  this  and  the 
Portage  du  Diable,  are  several  ia])ids, 
and  the  distance  three  miles  and  an  half. 
Then  succeeds  the  lake  of  the  same  name, 
running  from  South-East  to  Xortli-West, 
exx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

five    miles,    and   ^Vest   four     miles    and   an 
half. 

There  is  then  a  succession  of  small  lakes, 
rapids,  and  falls,  producing  the  Portage  des 
Ecors,  Portage  du  Galet,  and  Portage  des 
jNIorts,  the  whole  comprehending  a  distance 
of  six  miles,  to  the  lake  of  the  latter  name. 
On  the  left  side  is  a  point  covered  with  hu- 
man bones,  the  relics  of  the  small-pox  ;  which 
circumstance  gave  the  Portage  and  the  lake 
this  melancholy  denomination.  Its  course  is 
South-West  fifteen  miles,  while  its  breadth 
does  not  exceed  three  miles.  From  thence  a 
rapid  river  leads  to  Portage  de  Hallier,  which 
is  followed  by  Lake  de  L'Isle  d'Ours:  it  is, 
however,  improperly  called  a  lake,  as  it  con- 
tains frequent  impediments  amongst  its  isl- 
ands, from  rapids.  There  is  a  very  danger- 
ous one  about  the  centre  of  it,  which  is 
named  the  Ptapid  qui  ne  parle  point,  or  that 
never  speaks,  from  its  silent  whirlpool-mo- 
tion. In  some  of  the  whirlpools  the  suction 
is  so  powerful,  that  they  are  carefully 
avoided.  At  some  distance  from  the  silent 
rapid  is  a  narrow  strait,  where  the  Indians 
have  painted  red  figures  on  the  face  of  a 
rock,  and  where  it  was  their  custom  formerly 
to  make  an  offering  of  some  of  the  articles 
which  they  had  with  them,  in  their  way  to 
and  from  Churchill.  The  course  of  this  lake, 
wliii'h  is  very  meandering,  may  be  estimated 
exxi 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

at  tliivty -eight  miles,  and  is  terminated  by 
the  Portage  du  Canot  Touruer,  from  the  dan- 
ger to  which  those  are  subject  who  venture 
to  run  tliis  rai)i(l.  From  thence  a  river  of 
one  mile  and  an  half  North-West  course 
leads  to  the  Portage  de  Bouleau,  and  in  about 
half  a  mile  to  Portage  des  Epingles,  so  called 
from  the  sharpness  of  its  stones.  Then  fol- 
lows the  Lake  des  Souris,  the  direction  across 
which  is  amongst  islands,  North-West  by 
West  six  miles.  In  this  traverse  is  an  is- 
land, which  is  remarkable  for  a  very  large 
stone,  in  the  form  of  a  bear,  on  which  the 
natives  have  i)ainted  the  head  and  snout  of 
tliat  animal ;  and  here  they  also  were  for- 
merly accustomed  to  offer  sacrifices.  This 
lake  is  separated  only  by  a  narrow  strait 
from  the  Lake  du  Serpent,  which  runs  North- 
North- West  seven  miles,  to  a  narrow  chan- 
nel, that  connects  it  with  another  lake,  bear- 
ing the  same  name,  and  running  the  same 
course  for  eleven  miles,  when  the  rapid  of 
the  same  denomination  is  entered  on  the 
:West  side  of  the  lake.  It  is  to  be  remarked 
here,  that  for  about  three  or  four  miles  on 
the  North-West  side  of  this  lake,  there  is  an 
high  bank  of  clay  and  sand,  clothed  with 
cypress  trees,  a  circumstance  which  is  not 
observable  on  any  lakes  hitherto  mentioned, 
as  they  are  bounded,  particularly  on  the 
North,  by  black  and  grey  rocks.  It  may  also 
cxxii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

be  considered  as  a  most  extraordinaiy  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  Chepewyans  go  North- 
West  from  hence  to  the  barren  grounds, 
which  are  their  own  country,  without  the 
assistance  of  canoes;  as  it  is  well  known 
that  in  every  other  part  Avhich  has  been  de- 
scribed, from  Cumberland  House,  the  coun- 
try is  broken  on  either  side  of  the  direction 
to  a  great  extent :  so  that  a  traveller  could 
not  go  at  right  angles  with  any  of  the  waters 
already  mentioned,  without  meeting  with 
others  in  every  eight  or  ten  miles.  This  will 
also  be  found  to  be  very  much  the  case  in 
proceeding  to  Portage  la  Loche. 

The  last  mentioned  rapid  is  upwards  of 
three  miles  long,  North-West  by  West; 
there  is,  however,  no  carrying,  as  the  line 
and  poles  are  sufficient  to  drag  and  set  the 
canoes  against  the  current.  Lake  Croche  is 
then  crossed  in  a  Westerly  direction  of  six 
miles,  though  its  whole  length  may  be  twice 
that  distance :  after  which  it  contracts  to  a 
river  that  runs  Westerly  for  ten  miles,  when 
it  forms  a  bend,  which  is  left  to  the  South, 
and  entering  a  portion  of  its  waters  called 
the  Grass  River,  whose  meandering  course  is 
about  six  miles,  but  in  a  direct  line  not  more 
than  half  that  length,  where  it  receives  its 
waters  from  the  groat  river,  which  then  runs 
Westerly  eleven  miles  before  it  forms  tlie 
Knee  Lake,  whose  direction  is  to  the  North 
cxxiii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

of  "West,  It  is  full  of  islaiuls  for  eighteen 
miles,  and  its  greatest  ai»})arent  breadth  is 
not  more  than  five  miles.  The  portage  of 
the  same  name  is  several  hundred  yards  long, 
and  over  large  stones.  Its  latitude  is  55.  50. 
and  longitude  lOG.  30.  Two  miles  further 
North  is  the  commencement  of  the  Croche 
Rapid,  which  is  a  succession  of  cascades  for 
about  three  miles,  making  a  Ijend  due  South 
to  the  Lake  du  Primeau,  whose  course  is 
various,  and  through  islands,  to  the  distance 
of  about  fifteen  miles.  The  banks  of  this 
lake  are  low,  stony,  and  marshy,  whose  grass 
and  rushes  afford  shelter  and  food  to  great 
numbers  of  wild  fowl.  At  its  Western  ex- 
tremity is  Portage  la  Puise,  from  whence  the 
river  takes  a  meandering  course,  widening 
and  contracting  at  intervals,  and  is  much  in- 
terrupted by  rapids.  After  a  Westerly  course 
of  twenty  miles,  it  reaches  Portage  Pellet. 
From  hence,  in  the  course  of  seven  miles,  are 
three  rapids,  to  which  succeeds  the  Shagoina 
Lake,  which  may  be  eighteen  miles  in  cir- 
cumference. Then  Shagoina  strait  and  rapid 
lead  into  the  Lake  of  Isle  a  la  Crosse,  in 
which  the  course  is  South  twenty  miles,  and 
South-South -W'est  fourteen  miles,  to  the 
Point  au  Sable ;  opposite  to  which  is  the  dis- 
charge of  the  Beaver-River,  bearing  South 
six  miles :  the  lake  in  the  distance  run,  does 
not  exceed  twelve  miles  in  its  gi-eatest 
cxxiv 


OF  THE   FUK   TRADE,  &c. 

breadth.  It  now  turns  West-South-West, 
the  Isle  a  la  Crosse  being  on  the  South,  and 
the  main  land  on  the  North;  and  it  clears 
the  one  and  the  other  in  the  distance  of 
three  miles,  the  water  presenting  an  open 
horizon  to  right  and  left;  that  on  the  left 
formed  by  a  deep  narrow  bay,  about  ten 
leagues  in  depth  ;  and  that  to  the  right  by 
what  is  called  la  Riviere  Creuse,  or  Deep 
Eiver,  being  a  canal  of  still  water,  which  is 
here  four  miles  wide.  On  following  the  last 
course.  Isle  a  la  Crosse  Fort  appears  on  a 
low  isthmus,  at  the  distance  of  five  miles, 
and  is  in  latitude  55.  25.  North,  and  longi- 
tude 107.  48.  West. 

This  lake  and  fort  take  their  names  from 
the  island  just  mentioned,  which,  as  has 
been  already  observed,  received  its  denomi- 
nation from  the  game  of  the  cross,  which 
forms  a  principal  amusement  among  the  na- 
tives. 

The  situation  of  this  lake,  the  abundance 
of  the  finest  fish  in  the  world  to  be  found  in 
its  waters,  the  richness  of  its  surrounding 
banks  and  forests,  in  moose  and  fallow  deer, 
with  the  vast  numbers  of  the  smaller  tribes 
of  animals,  whose  skins  are  precious,  and  the 
iiuiiiiToiis  Hocks  of  wild  fowl  that  frequent 
it  in  the  sjjring  and  fall,  make  it  a  most  de- 
siraljle  spot  for  the  constant  residence  of 
some,  and  the  occasional  rendezvous  of  oth- 
CXXV 


A  GENEKAL    HISTORY 

ers  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  partic- 
uhirly  of  the  Knisteneaux. 

AVlio  the  original  i)eople  were  that  were 
driven  from  it,  when  conquered  by  the  Knis- 
teneaux, is  not  now  known,  as  not  a  single 
vestige  remains  of  them.  The  latter,  and 
the  ChepeAvyans,  are  the  only  people  that 
have  been  known  here ;  and  it  is  evident  that 
the  last-mentioned  consider  themselves  as 
strangers,  and  seldom  remain  longer  than 
three  or  four  years,  Avithout  visiting  their 
relations  and  friends  in  the  barren  grounds, 
which  they  term  their  native  country.  They 
were  for  some  time  treated  by  the  Kniste- 
neaux as  enemies;  who  now  allow  them  to 
hunt  to  the  North  of  the  track  Avhich  has 
been  described,  from  Fort  du  Traite  up- 
wards, but  when  they  occasionally  meet 
them,  they  insist  on  contributions,  and  fre- 
quently punish  resistance  with  their  arms. 
This  is  sometimes  done  at  the  forts,  or  places 
of  trade,  but  then  it  appears  to  be  a  volun- 
tary gift.  A  treat  of  rum  is  expected  on  the 
occasion,  which  the  Chepewyans  on  no  other 
account  ever  purchase ;  and  those  only  who 
have  had  frequent  intercourse  with  the  Knis- 
teneaux have  any  inclination  to  drink  it. 

When  the  Europeans  first  penetrated  into 

this  country,  in  1777,  the    people    of   both 

tribes  were  numerous,  but  the  small-pox  was 

fatal  to  them  all,  so  that  there  does  not  exist 

cxxvi 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

of  the  one,  at  present,  more  than  forty  resi- 
dent families ;  and  the  other  has  been  from 
about  thirty  to  two  hundred  families.  These 
numbers  are  applicable  to  the  constant  and 
less  ambitious  inhabitants,  who  are  satisfied 
with  the  quiet  possession  of  a  country  afford- 
ing, without  risk  or  much  trouble,  every 
thing  necessary  to  their  comfort;  for  since 
traders  have  spread  themselves  over  it,  it  is 
no  more  the  rendezvous  of  the  errant  Knis- 
teneaux,  part  of  whom  used  annually  to  return 
thither  from  the  country  of  the  Beaver 
Eiver,  which  they  had  explored  to  its  source 
in  their  war  and  hunting  excursions,  and  as 
far  as  the  Saskatchiwine,  where  they  some- 
times met  people  of  their  own  nation,  who 
had  prosecuted  similar  conquests  up  that 
river.  In  that  country  they  found  abundance 
of  fish  and  animals,  sucli  as  have  been  al- 
ready described,  with  the  addition  of  the 
buffaloes,  who  range  in  the  partial  patches 
of  meadow  scattered  along  the  ri\'ers  and 
lakes.  From  thence  they  returned  in  the 
spring  to  their  friends  whom  they  had  left ; 
and,  at  the  same  time  met  with  others  who 
had  penetrated  with  the  same  designs  into 
the  Athabasca  country,  which  will  be  de- 
scriljed  hereafter. 

The  spring  was  the  period  of  this  joyful 
meeting,  when    tlicir   time  was    occupied    in 
feasting,  dancing,  and  other  2)astimes,  which 
cxxvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

were  occasionally  sus]ifii(lr(l  ioy  sacrifice,  and 
religious  solenniity :  while  the  narratives  of 
their  travels,  and  the  history  of  their  wars, 
amused  and  animated  the  festival.  The  time 
of  rejoicing  was  but  short,  and  was  soon  in- 
terrupted by  the  necessary  preparations  for 
their  annual  journey  to  Churchill,  to  exchange 
their  furs  for  such  European  articles  as  were 
now  become  necessary  to  them.  The  short- 
ness of  the  seasons,  and  the  great  length  of 
their  way  requiring  the  utmost  despatch,  the 
most  active  men  of  the  tribe,  with  their 
youngest  women,  and  a  few  of  their  children 
undertook  the  voyage,  under  the  direction  of 
some  of  their  chiefs,  following  the  waters  al- 
ready described,  to  their  discharge  at  Church- 
ill Factory,  which  are  called,  as  has  already 
been  observed,  the  ]SIissinipi,  or  Great  Wa- 
ters. There  they  remained  no  longer  than 
was  sufficient  to  barter  their  commodities, 
Avith  a  supernumerary  day  or  two  to  gratify 
themselves  with  the  indulgence  of  spirituous 
liquors.  At  the  same  time  the  inconsider- 
able quantity  they  could  purchase  to  carry 
away  with  them,  for  a  regale  with  their 
friends,  Avas  held  sacred,  and  reserved  to 
heighten  the  enjoyment  of  their  return  home, 
when  the  amusements,  festivity,  and  relig- 
ious solemnities  of  the  spring  were  repeated. 
The  usual  time  appropriated  to  these  conviv- 
ialities being  completed,  they  separated,  to 
cxxviii 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE.  &c. 

pursue  their  different  objects;  and  if  they 
were  determined  to  go  to  war,  they  made  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  their  future  oper- 
ations. 

But  Ave  must  now  renew  the  progress  of 
the  route.  It  is  not  more  than  two  miles 
from  Isle  a  la  Crosse  Fort,  to  a  point  of  land 
which  forms  a  cheek  of  that  part  of  the  lake 
called  the  Kiviere  Creuse,  which  preserves 
the  breadth  already  mentioned  for  upwards 
of  twenty  miles;  then  contracts  to  about 
two,  for  the  distance  of  ten  miles  more,  when 
it  opens  to  Lake  Clear,  which  is  very  wide, 
and  commands  an  open  horizon,  keeping  the 
West  shore  for  six  miles.  The  whole  of  the 
distance  mentioned  is  about  North-West, 
when,  by  a  narrow,  crooked  channel,  turning 
to  the  South  of  West,  the  entry  is  made  into 
Lake  du  Boeuf ,  which  is  contracted  near  the 
middle,  by  a  projecting  sandy  point;  inde- 
pendent of  which  it  may  be  described  as  from 
six  to  twelve  miles  in  breadth,  thirty-six 
miles  long,  and  in  a  North-West  direction. 
At  the  North- West  end,  in  latitude  56.  8.  it 
receives  the  waters  of  the  river  la  Loche, 
which,  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  is  very  shal- 
low, and  navigated  with  difficulty  even  by 
half -laden  canoes.  Its  water  is  not  sufficient 
to  form  strong  rapids,  though  from  its  rocky 
bottom  the  canoes  are  frequently  in  consider- 
able danger.  Including  its  meanders,  the 
9  cxxix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

course  of  tliis  river  may  be  com})uted  at 
twenty-four  miles,  and  receives  its  Urst  wa- 
ters from  the  lake  of  the  same  name,  which 
is  about  twenty  miles  long,  and  six  wide ; 
into  which  a  small  river  flows,  sutticient  to 
bear  loaded  canoes,  for  about  a  mile  and  an 
half,  Avhere  the  navigation  ceases;  and  tlie 
canoes,  with  their  lading,  are  carried  over 
the  Portage  la  Loche  for  thirteen  miles. 

This  portage  is  the  ridge  that  divides  the 
Avaters  which  discharge  themselves  into  Hud- 
son's Bay,  from  those  that  flow  into  the 
Northern  ocean,  and  is  in  the  latitude  56.  20. 
and  longitude  109.  15.  West.  It  runs  South- 
West  until  it  loses  its  local  height  between 
the  Saskatchiwine  and  Elk  Rivers ;  close  on 
the  bank  of  the  former,  in  latitude  53.  'Six 
North,  and  longitude  113.  45.  West,  it  may 
be  traced  in  an  Easterly  direction  toward 
latitude  58.  12.  North,  and  longitude  103f 
West,  when  it  appears  to  take  its  course  due 
North,  and  may  probably  reach  the  Frozen 
Seas. 

From  Lake  le  Souris,  the  banks  of  the  riv- 
ers and  lakes  display  a  smaller  portion  of 
solid  rock.  The  land  is  low  and  stony,  in- 
termixed with  a  light,  sandy  soil,  and  clothed 
with  wood.  That  of  the  Beaver  River  is  of 
a  more  productive  quality :  but  no  part  of  it 
has  ever  been  cultivated  by  the  natives  or 

Europeans,  except  a  small  garden  at  the  Isle 
cxxx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c 

a  la  Crosse,  which  well  repaid  the  labour  be- 
stowed upon  it. 

The  Portage  la  Loche  is  of  a  level  surface, 
in  some  parts  abounding  with  stones,  but  in 
general  it  is  an  entire  sand,  and  covered  with 
the  cypress,  the  pine,  the  spruce  fir,  and  other 
trees  natural  to  its  soil.  Within  three  miles 
of  the  North- West  termination,  there  is  a 
small  round  lake,  Avhose  diameter  does  not 
exceed  a  mile,  and  which  affords  a  trifling 
respite  to  the  labour  of  carrying.  Within  a 
mile  of  the  termination  of  the  Portage  is  a 
very  steep  precipice,  whose  ascent  and  de- 
scent appears  to  be  equally  impracticable  in 
any  way,  as  it  consists  of  a  succession  of 
eight  hills,  some  of  which  are  almost  perpen- 
dicular ;  nevertheless,  the  Canadians  contrive 
to  surmount  all  these  difficulties,  even  with 
their  canoes  and  lading. 

This  precipice,  which  rises  upwards  of  a 
thousand  feet  above  the  plain  beneath  it, 
commands  a  most  extensive,  romantic,  and 
ravishing  prospect.  From  thence  the  eye 
looks  down  on  the  course  of  the  little  river, 
by  some  called  the  Swan  river,  and  by  oth- 
ers, the  Clear- Water  and  Pelican  river,  beau- 
tifully meandering  for  upwards  of  thirty 
miles.  The  valley,  which  is  at  once  refreshed 
and  adorned  by  it,  is  about  three  miles  in 
breadth,  and  is  confined  by  two  lofty  ridges 
of  equal  height,  dis])lnying  a  most  beautiful 
cxxxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

intermixture  of  wood  and  lawn,  and  stretch- 
ing on  till  the  blue  mist  obscures  the  pros- 
pect. Some  parts  of  the  inclining  heights 
are  covered  with  stately  forests,  relieved  by 
promontories  of  the  finest  verdure,  where  the 
elk  and  buifalo  find  pasture.  These  are  con- 
trasted by  spots  where  fire  has  destroyed  the 
Avoods,  and  left  a  dreary  void  behind  it. 
Kor,  when  I  beheld  this  wonderful  display  of 
uncultivated  nature,  was  the  moving  scenery 
of  human  occupation  wanting  to  complete  the 
picture.  From  this  elevated  situation,  I  be- 
held my  people,  diminished,  as  it  were,  to 
half  their  size,  employed  in  pitching  their 
tents  in  a  charming  meadow,  and  among  the 
canoes,  which,  being  turned  upon  their  sides, 
presented  their  reddened  bottoms  in  contrast 
with  the  surrounding  verdure.  At  the  same 
time,  the  process  of  gumming  them  produced 
numerous  small  spires  of  smoke,  which,  as 
they  rose,  enlivened  the  scene,  and  at  length 
blended  with  the  larger  columns  that  ascended 
from  the  fires  where  the  suppers  were  pre- 
paring. It  was  in  the  month  of  September 
when  I  enjoyed  a  scene,  of  which  I  do  not 
presume  to  give  an  adequate  description ;  and 
as  it  was  the  rutting  season  of  the  elk,  the 
whistling  of  that  animal  was  heard  in  all  the 
variety  which  the  echoes  could  afford  it. 

This  river,  which  waters  and  reflects  such 
enchanting  scenery,  runs,  including  its  wind- 
cxxxii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

ings,  upwards  of  eighty  miles,  when  it  dis- 
charges itself  in  the  Elk  River,  according  to 
the  denomination  of  the  natives,  but  com- 
monly called  by  the  white  people,  the  Atha- 
basca River,  in  latitude  56.  42.  North. 

At  a  small  distance  from  Portage  la  Loche, 
several  carrying-places  interrupt  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  river ;  about  the  middle  of  which 
are  some  mineral  springs,  whose  margins  are 
covered  with  sulphureous  incrustations.  At 
the  junction  or  fork,  the  Elk  River  is  about 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  breadth,  and  runs 
in  a  steady  current,  sometimes  contracting, 
but  never  increasing  its  channel,  till,  after 
receiving  several  small  streams,  it  discharges 
itself  into  the  Lake  of  the  Hills,  in  latitude 
58.  36.  North.  At  about  twenty-four  miles 
from  the  Fork,  are  some  bituminous  foun- 
tains, into  which  a  pole  of  twenty  feet  long 
may  be  inserted  without  the  least  resistance. 
The  bitumen  is  in  a  fluid  state,  and  when 
mixed  with  gum,  or  the  resinous  substance 
collected  from  the  spruce  fir,  serves  to  gum 
the  canoes.  In  its  heated  state  it  emits  a 
smell  like  that  of  sea-coal.  The  banks  of  the 
river,  which  are  there  very  elevated,  discover 
veins  of  the  same  bituminous  quality.  At  a 
small  distance  from  the  Fork,  houses  have 
been  erected  for  the  convenience  of  trading 
with  a  ])arty  of  the  Knisteneaux,  who  visit  the 
adjacent  country  for  tlio  ])urpose  of  hunting, 
cxxxiii 


A   GENERAL   HISTORY 

At  the  cUstanco  of  about  forty  miles  from  the 
lake,  is  the  Old  Establishment,  -which  has 
been  already  mentioned,  as  formed  by  j\lr. 
Pond  in  the  year  1778-9,  and  wliich  was  the 
only  one  in  this  part  of  the  world,  till  the 
year  1785.  In  the  year  1788  it  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Lake  of  the  Hills,  and  formed 
on  a  point  on  its  Southern  side,  at  about 
eight  miles  from  the  discharge  of  the  riv^er. 
It  was  named  Fort  ChepeAvyan,  and  is  in  lat- 
itude 58.  38.  North,  longitude  110.  2G.  West, 
and  much  better  situated  for  trade  and  fish- 
ing as  the  people  here  have  recourse  to  water 
for  their  support. 

This  being  the  place  which  I  made  my 
headquarters  for  eight  years,  and  from  whence 
I  took  my  departure,  on  both  my  expeditions, 
I  shall  give  some  account  of  it,  with  the  man- 
ner of  carrying  on  the  trade  there,  and  other 
circumstances  connected  with  it. 

The  laden  canoes  wdiich  leave  Lake  la  Pluie 
about  the  first  of  August,  do  not  arrive  here 
till  the  latter  end  of  September,  or  the  begin- 
ning of  October,  when  a  necessary  propor- 
tion of  them  is  despatched  up  the  Peace  River 
to  trade  with  the  Beaver  and  Eocky-]\Ioun- 
tain  Indians.  Others  are  sent  to  the  Slave 
River  and  Lake,  or  beyond  them,  and  traffic 
with  the  inhabitants  of  that  country.  A 
small  part  of  them,  if  not  left  at  the  Fork  of 
the  Elk  River,  return  thither  for  the  Kniste- 
cxxxiv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

neaux,  while  the  rest  of  the  people  and  mer- 
chandise remain  here,  to  carry  on  trade  with 
the  Chepewyans. 

Here  have  I  arrived  with  ninety  or  an  hun- 
dred men  without  any  provision  for  their  sus- 
tenance ;  for  whatever  quantity  might  have 
been  obtained  from  the  natives  during  the 
summer,  it  could  not  be  more  than  sufficient 
for  the  people  despatched  to  tlieir  different 
posts ;  and  even  if  there  were  a  casual  super- 
fluity, it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  preserve 
it  untouched,  for  the  demands  of  the  spring. 
The  whole  dependence,  therefore,  of  those 
who  remained,  was  on  the  lake,  and  fishing 
implements  for  the  means  of  our  support. 
The  nets  are  sixty  fathom  in  length,  when 
set,  and  contain  fifteen  meshes  of  five  inches 
in  depth.  The  manner  of  using  them  is  as 
follows :  A  small  stone  and  wooden  buoy  are 
fastened  to  the  side-line  opposite  to  each 
other,  at  about  the  distance  of  two  fathoms ; 
when  the  net  is  carefully  thrown  into  the 
water,  the  stone  sinks  it  to  the  bottom,  while 
the  buoy  keeps  it  at  its  full  extent,  and  it  is 
secured  in  its  situation  by  a  stone  at  either 
end.  The  nets  are  visited  every  day,  and 
taken  out  every  other  day  to  be  cleaned  and 
dried.  This  is  a  very  ready  operation  when 
the  waters  are  not  frozen,  but  when  the  frost 
has  set  in,  and  the  ice  has  acquired  its  great- 
est thickness,  which  is  sometimes  as  much  as 
cxxxv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

five  feet,  holes  are  cut  in  it  at  the  distance 
of  thirty  feet  from  each  other,  to  the  full 
length  of  the  net ;  one  of  them  is  larger  than 
the  rest,  being  generally  about  four  feet 
square,  and  is  called  the  basin :  by  means  of 
them,  and  poles  of  a  proportionable  length, 
the  nets  are  placed  in  and  drawn  out  of  the 
water.  The  setting  of  hooks  and  lines  is  so 
simple  an  employment  as  to  render  a  descrip- 
tion unnecessary.  The  white  fish  are  the 
principal  object  of  pursuit:  they  spawn  in 
the  fall  of  the  year,  and,  at  about  the  setting 
in  of  the  hard  frost,  crowd  in  shoals  to  the 
shallow  water,  when  as  many  as  possible  are 
taken,  in  order  that  a  portion  of  them  may 
be  laid  by  in  the  frost  to  provide  against  the 
scarcity  of  winter;  as,  during  that  season, 
the  fish  of  every  description  decrease  in  the 
lakes,  if  they  do  not  altogether  disappear. 
Some  have  supposed  that  during  this  period 
they  are  stationary,  or  assume  an  inactive 
state.  If  there  should  be  any  intervals  of 
warm  weather  during  the  fall,  it  is  necessary 
to  suspend  the  fish  by  the  tail,  though  they 
are  not  so  good  as  those  which  are  altogether 
preserved  by  the  frost.  In  this  state  they 
remain  to  the  beginning  of  April,  when  they 
have  been  found  as  sweet  as  when  they  were 
caught  * 

*  This  fisliery  requires  the  most  unremitting  atten- 
tion, as  the  voyaging  Canadians  are  equally  indo 
cxxxvi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

Thus  do  these  voyagers  live,  year  after 
year,  entirely  upon  fish,  without  even  the 
quickening  flavour  of  salt,  or  the  variety  of 
any  farinaceous  root  or  vegetable.  Salt, 
however,  if  their  habits  had  not  rendered  it 
unnecessary,  might  be  obtained  in  this  coun- 
try to  the  Westward  of  the  Peace  River, 
where  it  loses  its  name  in  that  of  the  Slave 
River,  from  the  numerous  salt-ponds  and 
springs  to  be  found  there,  which  will  supply 
in  any  quantity,  in  a  state  of  concretion,  and 
perfectly  white  and  clean.  When  the  Indi- 
ans pass  that  way  they  bring  a  small  quantity 
to  the  fort,  with  other  articles  of  traffic. 

During  a  short  period  of  the  spring  and  fall, 
great  numbers  of  wild  fowl  frequent  this 
country,  which  prove  a  very  gratifying  food 
after  such  a  long  privation  of  flesh-meat.  It 
is  remarkable,  however,  that  the  Canadians 
who  frequent  the  Peace,  Saskatchiwine,  and 
Assiniboiu  rivers,  and  live  altogether  on  ven- 
ison, have  a  less  healthy  appearance  than 
those  whose  sustenance  is  obtained  from  the 
waters.  At  the  same  time  the  scurvy  is 
wholly  unknown  among  them. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  the  natives  meet  the 
traders  at  the  forts,  where  they  barter  the 
furs  or  provisions  which  they  may  have  pro- 
lent,  extravagant,  and  improvident,  when  left  to 
tlieinselve.s,  and  rival  the  savages  in  a  neglect  of  the 

morrow. 

cxxxvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

cured :  they  then  obtain  credit,  and  proceed 
to  liunt  the  beavers,  and  do  not  return  till  the 
beginning  of  the  year;  when  they  are  again 
fitted  out  in  the  same  manner  and  come  back 
the  latter  end  of  ]\Iarch,  or  the  beginning  of 
April.  They  are  now  unwilling  to  repair  to 
the  beaver  hunt  until  the  waters  are  clear  of 
ice,  that  they  may  kill  them  with  fire-arms, 
which  the  Chepewyans  are  averse  to  employ. 
The  major  part  of  the  latter  return  to  the 
barren  grounds,  and  live  during  the  summer 
with  their  relations  and  friends  in  the  en- 
joyment of  that  plenty  which  is  derived  from 
numerous  herds  of  deer.  But  those  of  that 
tribe  who  are  most  partial  to  these  deserts, 
cannot  remain  there  in  winter,  and  they  are 
obliged,  with  the  deer,  to  take  shelter  in  the 
woods  during  that  rigorous  season,  when  they 
contrive  to  kill  a  few  beavers,  and  send  them 
by  young  men,  to  exchange  for  iron  utensils 
and  ammunition. 

Till  the  year  1782,  the  people  of  Athabasca 
sent  or  carried  their  furs  regularly  to  Fort 
Churchill,  Hudson's  Bay;  and  some  of  them 
have,  since  that  time,  repaired  thither,  not- 
withstanding they  could  have  provided  them- 
selves with  all  the  necessaries  which  they  re- 
quired. The  difference  of  the  price  set  on 
goods  here  and  at  the  factory,  made  it  an  ob- 
ject with  the  Chepewyans  to  undertake  a 
journey  of  five  or  six  months,  in  the  course 
cxxxviii 


OF   THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c 

of  which  they  were  reduced  to  the  most 
paiuful  extremities,  and  often  lost  their  lives 
from  hunger  and  fatigue.  At  present,  how- 
ever, this  traffic  is  in  a  great  measure  discon- 
tinued, as  they  were  obliged  to  expend  in  the 
course  of  their  journey,  that  very  ammuni- 
tion which  was  its  most  alluring  object. 


cxxxix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 


SOME   ACCOUNT  OF   THE   KNISTE- 
NEAUX   INDIANS. 

These  people  are  spread  over  a  vast  extent 
of  country.  Their  language  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  people  who  inhabit  the  coast  of 
British  America  on  the  Atlantic,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Esquimaux,*  and  continues 
along  the  coast  of  Labrador,  and  the  gulf  and 
banks  of  St.  Laurence  to  Montreal.  The 
line  then  follows  the  Utawas  river  to  its 
source;  and  continues  from  thence  nearly 
West  along  the  highlands  which  divides  the 
waters  that  fall  into  Lake  Superior  and  Hud- 
son's Bay.  It  then  proceeds  till  it  strikes 
the  middle  part  of  the  river  Winipic,  follow- 
ing that  water  to  the  Lake  Winipic,  to  the 
discharge  of  the  Saskatchiwiue  into  it ;  from 
thence  it  accompanies  the  latter  to  Fort 
George,  when  the  line,  striking  by  the  head 
of  the  Beaver  river  to  the  Elk  river,  runs 
along  its  banks  to  its  discharge  in  the  Lake 
of  the  Hills ;  from  which  it  may  be  carried 

*The  similarity  between  their  language  and  that 
of  the  Algouquius  is  an  unequivocal  proof  that  they 
are  the  same  people.     Specimens  of  their  respective 
tongues  will  be  hereafter  given. 
Cxl 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

back  East,  to  the  Isle  a  la  Crosse,  and  so  on 
to  Churchill  by  the  ]\Iissinipi.  The  whole  of 
the  tract  between  this  line  and  Hudson's  Bay 
and  Straits  (except  that  of  the  Esquimaux  in 
the  latter),  may  be  said  to  be  exclusively  the 
country  of  the  Knisteneaux.  Some  of  them 
indeed,  have  penetrated  further  West  and 
South  to  the  Red  River,  to  the  South  of  Lake 
Winipic,  and  the  South  branch  of  the  Sas- 
katchiwiiie 

They  are  of  a  moderate  stature,  well  pro- 
portioned, and  of  great  activity.  Examples 
of  deformity  are  seldom  to  be  seen  among 
them.  Their  complexion  is  of  a  copper  col- 
our, and  their  hair  black,  which  is  common  to 
all  the  natives  of  North  America.  It  is  cut 
in  various  forms,  according  to  the  fancy  of 
the  several  tribes,  and  by  some  is  left  in  the 
long,  lank,  flow  of  nature.  They  very  gen- 
erally extract  their  beards,  and  both  sexes 
manifest  a  disposition  to  pluck  the  hair  from 
every  part  of  their  body  and  limbs.  Their 
eyes  are  black,  keen,  and  penetrating;  their 
countenance  open  and  agreeable,  and  it  is  a 
principal  object  of  their  vanity  to  give  every 
possible  decoration  to  their  persons.  A  ma- 
terial article  in  their  toilets  is  vermilion, 
which  they  contrast  with  their  native  blue, 
white,  and  brown  earths,  to  which  charcoal 
is  frequently  added. 

Their  dress  is  at  once  simple  and  commo- 
cxli 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

dious.  It  consists  of  tight  leggins,  reaching 
near  the  hip :  a  strip  of  cloth  or  leather,  called 
assian,  about  a  foot  Avide,  and  five  feet  long, 
whose  ends  are  drawn  inwards  and  hang  be- 
liind  and  before,  over  a  belt  tied  round  the 
waist  for  that  purpose :  a  close  vest  or  shirt 
reaching  down  to  the  former  garment,  and 
cinctured  with  a  broad  strip  of  parchment 
fastened  with  thongs  behind ;  and  a  cap  for 
the  head,  consisting  of  a  piece  of  fur,  or 
small  skin,  with  the  brush  of  the  animal  as  a 
suspended  ornament :  a  kind  of  robe  is  thrown 
occasionally  over  the  whole  of  the  dress,  and 
serves  both  night  and  day.  These  articles, 
with  the  addition  of  shoes  and  mittens,  con- 
stitute the  variety  of  their  apparel.  The 
materials  vary  according  to  the  season,  and 
consist  of  dressed  moose-skin,  beaver  pre- 
pared with  the  fur,  or  European  woollens. 
The  leather  is  neatly  painted,  and  fancifully 
worked  in  some  parts  with  porcupine  quills, 
and  moose-deer  hair :  the  shirts  and  leggins 
are  also  adorned  with  fringe  and  tassels ;  nor 
are  the  shoes  and  mittens  without  somewhat 
of  appropriate  decoration,  and  worked  Avith  a 
considerable  degree  of  skill  and  taste.  These 
habiliments  are  put  on,  however,  as  fancy  or 
convenience  suggests;  and  they  will  some- 
times proceed  to  the  chase  in  the  severest 
frost,  covered  only  with  the  slightest  of 
them. 

cxlii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

Their  head-dresses  are  composed  of  the 
feathers  of  the  swau,  the  eagle,  and  other 
birds.  Tlie  teeth,  horns,  and  claws  of  differ- 
ent animals,  are  also  the  occasional  ornaments 
of  the  head  and  neck.  Their  hair,  however 
arranged,  is  always  besmeared  with  grease. 
The  making  of  every  article  of  dress  is  a  fe- 
male occupation ;  and  the  women,  though  by 
no  means  inattentive  to  the  decoration  of 
their  own  persons,  appear  to  have  a  still 
greater  degree  of  pride  in  attending  to  the 
appearance  of  the  men,  whose  faces  are 
painted  with  more  care  than  those  of  the 
women. 

The  female  dress  is  formed  of  the  same 
materials  as  those  of  the  other  sex,  but  of  a 
different  make  and  arrangement.  Their  shoes 
are  commonly  plain,  and  their  leggins  gar- 
tered beneath  the  knee.  The  coat,  or  body 
covering,  falls  down  to  the  middle  of  the  leg, 
and  is  fastened  over  the  shoulders  with  cords, 
a  flap  or  cape  turning  down  about  eight 
inches,  both  before  and  behind,  and  agreeably 
ornamented  with  quill- work  and  fringe;  the 
bottom  is  also  fringed,  and  fancifully  painted 
as  high  as  the  knee.  As  it  is  very  loose,  it 
is  enclosed  round  the  waist  with  a  stiff  belt, 
decorated  with  tassels,  and  fastened  behind. 
The  arms  are  covered  to  the  wrist,  with  de- 
tached sleeves,  which  are  sewed  as  far  as  the 
beud  of  the  arm ;  from  thence  they  are  drawn 
cxiiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

U})  to  the  neck,  and  the  corners  of  them  fall 
down  behind,  as  low  as  the  waist.  The  caj), 
when  they  wear  one,  consists  of  a  certain 
quantity  of  leather  or  cloth,  sewed  at  one 
end,  by  which  means  it  is  kept  on  the  head, 
and,  hanging  down  the  back,  is  fastened  to 
the  belt,  as  well  as  under  the  chin.  The 
ui)per  garment  is  a  robe  like  that  worn  by  the 
men.  Their  hair  is  divided  on  the  crown, 
and  tied  behind,  or  sometimes  fastened  in 
large  knots  over  the  ears.  They  are  fond  of 
European  articles,  and  prefer  them  to  their 
own  native  commodities.  Their  ornaments 
consist  in  common  with  all  savages,  in  brace- 
lets, rings,  and  similar  baubles.  Some  of  the 
women  tattoo  three  perpendicular  lines,  which 
are  sometimes  double :  one  from  the  centre  of 
the  chin  to  that  of  the  under  lip,  and  one 
parallel  on  either  side  to  the  corner  of  the 
mouth. 

Of  all  the  nations  which  I  have  seen  on  this 
continent,  the  Knisteneaux  women  are  the 
most  comely.  Their  figure  is  generally  well 
proportioned,  and  the  regularity  of  their  feat- 
ures would  be  acknowledged  by  the  more  civ- 
ilised people  of  Europe.  Their  complexion 
has  less  of  that  dark  tinge  which  is  com- 
mon to  those  savages  who  have  less  cleanly 
habits. 

These  people  are,  in  general,  subject  to  few 
disorders.  The  lues  venera,  however,  is  a 
cxliv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

common  complaint,  but  cured  by  the  applica- 
tion of  simples,  with  whose  virtues  they  ap- 
pear to  be  well  acquainted.  They  are  also 
subject  to  fluxes,  and  pains  in  the  breast, 
which  some  have  attributed  to  the  very  keen 
and  cold  air  which  they  inhale ;  but  I  should 
imagine  that  these  complaints  must  fre- 
quently proceed  from  their  immoderate  in- 
dulgence in  fat  meat  at  their  feasts,  particu- 
larly when  they  have  been  preceded  by  long 
fasting. 

They  are  naturally  mild  and  affable,  as  well 
as  just  in  their  dealings,  not  only  among  them- 
selves, but  with  strangers.*  They  are  also 
generous  and  hospitable,  and  good-natured 
in  the  extreme,  except  when  their  nature  is 
perverted  by  the  inflammatory  influence  of 
spirituous  liquors.  To  their  children  they 
are  indulgent  to  a  fault.  The  father,  though 
he  assumes  no  command  over  them,  is  ever 
anxious  to  instruct  them  in  all  the  preparatory 
qualifications  for  war  and  hunting ;  while  the 
mother  is  equally  attentive  to  her  daughters 
in  teaching  them  every  thing  that  is  consid- 
ered as  necessary  to  their  character  and  situ- 
ation. It  does  not  appear  that  the  husband 
makes  any  distinction  between  the  children 

*They  have  been  called  thieves,  but  when  that 
vice  can  with  justice  be  attributed  to  them,  it  may 
be  traced  to  their  connexion  with  the  civilised  peo- 
ple who  come  into  their  country  to  traffic, 
lo  cxlv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

of  his  wife,  though  they  may  be  the  offspring 
of  different  fathers.  Illegitimacy  is  only  at- 
tached to  those  who  are  born  before  their 
mothers  have  cohabited  with  any  man  by  the 
title  of  husband. 

It  does  not  appear,  that  chastity  is  consid- 
ered by  them  as  a  virtue ;  or  that  fidelity  is 
believed  to  be  essential  to  the  happiness  of 
wedded  life.  Though  it  sometimes  happens 
that  the  infidelity  of  a  wife  is  punished  by 
the  husband  with  the  loss  of  her  hair,  nose, 
and  perhaps  life ;  such  severity  proceeds  from 
its  having  been  practised  without  his  permis- 
sion :  for  a  temporary  interchange  of  wives  is 
not  uncommon :  and  the  offer  of  their  persons 
is  considered  as  a  necessary  part  of  the  hos- 
pitality due  to  strangers. 

When  a  man  loses  his  wife,  it  is  considered 
as  a  duty  to  marry  her  sister,  if  she  has  one ; 
or  he  may,  if  he  pleases,  have  them  both  at 
the  same  time. 

It  will  appear  from  the  fatal  consequences 
I  have  repeatedly  imputed  to  the  use  of  spir- 
ituous liquors  that  I  more  particularly  con- 
sider these  people  as  having  been,  morally 
speaking,  great  sufferers  from  their  communi- 
cation with  the  subjects  of  civilised  nations. 
At  the  same  time  they  were  not,  in  a  state  of 
nature,  without  their  vices,  and  some  of  them 
of  a  kind  which  is  the  most  abhorrent  to  cul- 
tivated and  reflecting  man.  I  shall  only  ob- 
cxlvi 


OF  THE   FUR   TRADE,  <kc. 

serve,  that  incest  and  bestiality  are  among 
them. 

"When  a  young  man  marries,  he  immediately 
goes  to  live  with  the  father  and  mother  of  his 
wife,  who  treat  him,  nevertheless,  as  a  per- 
fect stranger,  till  after  the  birth  of  his  first 
child  :  he  then  attaches  himself  more  to  them 
than  his  own  parents ;  and  his  wife  no  longer 
gives  him  any  other  denomination  than  that 
of  the  father  of  her  child. 

The  profession  of  the  men  is  war  and  hunt- 
ing, and  the  more  active  scene  of  their  duty 
is  the  field  of  battle,  and  the  chase  in  the 
woods.  They  also  spear  fish,  but  the  man- 
agement of  the  nets  is  left  to  the  women. 
The  females  of  this  nation  are  in  the  same 
subordinate  state  with  those  of  all  other  sav- 
age tribes,  but  the  severity  of  their  labour  is 
much  diminished  by  their  situation  on  the 
banks  of  lakes  and  rivers,  where  they  employ 
canoes.  In  the  winter,  when  the  waters  are 
frozen,  they  make  their  journeys,  Avhich  are 
never  of  any  great  length,  with  sledges  drawn 
by  dogs.  They  are,  at  the  same  time,  sub- 
ject to  every  kind  of  domestic  drudgery ;  they 
dress  the  leather,  make  the  clothes  and  shoes, 
weave  the  nets,  collect  Avood,  erect  the  tents, 
fetch  water,  and  perform  every  culinary  ser- 
vice ;  so  that  when  the  duties  of  maternal  care 
are  added,  it  will  appear,  that  the  life  of 
these  women  is  an  uninterrupted  succession 
cxlvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

of  toil  and  itaiii.  This,  indeed,  is  the  sense 
they  entertain  of  their  own  situation ;  and 
under  the  influence  of  that  sentiment,  they 
are  sometimes  known  to  destroy  their  fe- 
male children,  to  save  them  from  the  miseries 
which  they  themselves  have  suffered.  They 
also  have  a  ready  Avay,  by  the  use  of  certain 
simples,  of  procuring  abortions,  which  they 
sometimes  practise,  from  their  hatred  of  the 
father,  or  to  save  themselves  the  trouble 
which  children  occasion :  and,  as  I  have  been 
credibly  informed,  this  unnatural  act  is  re- 
peated without  any  injury  to  the  health  of 
the  women  who  perpetrate  it. 

The  funeral  rites  begin,  like  all  other  sol- 
emn ceremonials,  with  smoking,  and  are  con- 
cluded by  a  feast.  The  body  is  dressed  in 
the  best  habiliments  possessed  by  the  de- 
ceased, or  his  relations,  and  is  then  deposited 
in  a  grave  lined  with  branches ;  some  domestic 
utensils  are  place  on  it,  and  a  kind  of  canopy 
erected  over  it.  During  this  ceremony,  great 
lamentations  are  made,  and  if  the  departed 
person  is  very  much  regretted,  the  near  re- 
lations cut  off  their  hair,  pierce  the  fleshy 
part  of  their  thighs  and  arms  with  arrows, 
knives,  etc  ,  and  blacken  their  faces  with 
charcoal.  If  they  have  distinguished  them- 
selves in  war,  they  are  sometimes  laid  on  a 
kind  of  scaffolding;  and  I  have  been  in- 
formed, that  women,  as  ni  the  East,  have 
cxlviii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE.  &e. 

been  known  to  sacrifice  themselves  to  the 
manes  of  their  husbands.  The  whole  of  the 
property  belonging  to  the  departed  person  is 
destroyed,  and  the  relations  take  in  exchange 
for  the  wearing  apparel,  any  rags  that  will 
cover  their  nakedness.  The  feast  bestowed 
on  the  occasion,  which  is,  or  at  least  used  to 
be,  repeated  annually,  is  accompanied  with 
eulogiums  on  the  deceased,  and  without  auy 
acts  of  ferocity.  On  the  tomb  are  carved  or 
painted  the  symbols  of  his  tribe,  which  are 
taken  from  the  different  animals  of  the  coun- 
try. 

Many  and  various  are  the  motives  which  in- 
duce a  savage  to  engage  in  war.  To  prove 
his  courage,  or  to  revenge  the  death  of  his 
relations,  or  some  of  his  tribe,  by  the  mas- 
sacre of  an  enemy.  If  the  tribe  feel  them- 
selves called  upon  to  go  to  war,  the  elders 
convene  the  people,  in  order  to  know  the  gen- 
eral opinion.  If  it  be  for  war,  the  chief  pub- 
lishes his  intention  to  smoke  in  the  sacred 
stem  at  a  certain  period,  to  which  solemnity, 
meditation  and  fasting  are  required  as  pre- 
paratory ceremonials.  When  the  people  are 
thus  assembled,  and  the  meeting  sanctified  by 
the  custom  of  smoking,  the  chief  enlarges  on 
the  causes  Avhich  have  called  them  together, 
and  the  necessity  of  the  measures  proposed 
on  the  occasion.  He  then  invites  those  who 
are  willing  to  follow  him,  to  smoke  out  of  the 
cxlix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

sacred  stem,  which  is  considered  as  the  token 
of  enrolment;  and  if  it  should  be  the  general 
opinion  tliat  assistance  is  necessary,  others 
are  invited,  with  great  formality,  to  join 
them.  Every  individual  who  attends  these 
meetings,  brings  something  with  him  as  a 
token  of  his  warlike  intention,  or  as  an  object 
of  sacrifice,  which,  when  the  asspml)ly  dis- 
solves, is  suspended  from  poles  near  the  place 
of  council. 

They  have  frequent  feasts,  and  particular 
circumstances  never  fail  to  produce  them, 
such  as  a  tedious  illness,  long  fasting,  etc. 
On  these  occasions  it  is  usual  for  the  person 
who  means  to  give  the  entertainment,  to  an- 
nounce his  design,  on  a  certain  day,  of  open- 
ing the  medicine-bag,  and  smoking  out  of 
his  sacred  stem.  This  declaration  is  consid- 
ered as  a  sacred  vow  that  cannot  be  broken. 
There  are  also  stated  periods,  such  as  the 
spring  and  autumn,  when  they  engage  in  very 
long  and  solemn  ceremonies.  On  these  occa- 
sions dogs  are  offered  as  sacrifices,  and  those 
which  are  very  fat,  and  milk-white,  are  pre- 
ferred. They  also  make  large  offerings  of 
their  property,  whatever  it  may  be.  The 
scene  of  these  ceremonies  is  in  an  open  in- 
closure  on  the  bank  of  a  river  or  lake,  and  in 
the  most  conspicuous  situation,  in  order  that 
such  as  are  passing  along  or  travelling,  may 
be  induced  to  make  their  offerings.  There  is 
cl 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &e. 

also  a  particular  custom  among  them,  that, 
ou  these  occasions,  if  any  of  the  tribe,  or 
even  a  stranger,  should  be  passing  by,  and 
be  in  real  want  of  any  thing  that  is  displayed 
as  an  offering,  he  has  a  right  to  take  it,  so 
that  he  replaces  it  with  some  article  he  can 
spare,  though  it  be  of  far  inferior  value ;  but 
to  take  or  touch  any  thing  wantonly  is  con- 
sidered as  a  sacrilegious  act,  and  highly  in- 
sulting to  the  great  jSIaster  of  Life,  to  use 
their  own  expression,  who  is  the  sacred  ob- 
ject of  their  devotion. 

The  scene  of  private  sacrifice  is  the  lodge 
of  the  person  Avho  performs  it,  which  is  pre- 
pared for  that  purpose,  by  removing  every 
thing  out  of  it,  and  spreading  green  branches 
in  every  part.  The  fire  and  ashes  are  also 
taken  away.  A  new  hearth  is  made  of  fresh 
earth,  and  another  fire  is  lighted.  The  own- 
er of  the  dwelling  remains  alone  in  it;  and 
he  begins  the  ceremony  by  spreading  a  piece 
of  new  cloth,  or  a  well-dressed  moose-skin 
neatly  painted,  on  which  he  opens  his  medi- 
cine-bag and  exposes  its  contents,  consisting 
of  various  articles.  The  principal  of  them 
is  a  kind  of  household  god,  which  is  a  small 
carved  image  about  eight  inches  long.  Its 
first  covering  is  of  down,  over  which  a  piece 
of  birch-bark  is  closely  tied,  and  the  whole  is 
enveloped  in  several  folds  of  red  and  blue 
cloth.  This  little  figure  is  an  object  of  the 
cli 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

most  pious  regard.  The  next  article  is  his 
war-cap,  which  is  decorated  with  the  feathers 
and  plumes  of  scarce  birds,  beavers,  and 
eagle's  claws,  etc.  There  is  also  suspended 
from  it  a  quill  or  feather  for  every  enemy 
whom  the  owner  of  it  has  slain  in  battle. 
The  remaining  contents  of  the  bag  are,  a 
piece  of  l>razil  tobacco,  several  roots  and  sim- 
ples, whicli  are  in  great  estimation  for  their 
medicinal  qualities,  and  a  pipe.  These  arti- 
cles being  all  exposed,  and  the  stem  resting 
upon  two  forks,  as  it  must  not  touch  the 
ground,  the  master  of  the  lodge  sends  for  the 
person  he  most  esteems,  who  sits  down  oppo- 
site to  him ;  the  pipe  is  then  filled  and  fixed 
to  the  stem.  A  pair  of  wooden  pincers  is 
provided  to  put  the  fire  in  the  pipe,  and  a 
double-pointed  pin,  to  empty  it  of  the  rem- 
nant of  tobacco  which  is  not  consumed.  This 
arrangement  being  made,  the  men  assemble, 
and  sometimes  the  women  are  allowed  to  be 
humble  spectators,  while  the  most  religous 
awe  and  solemnity  pervades  the  whole.  The 
Michiniwais,  or  Assistant,  takes  up  the  pipe, 
lights  it,  and  presents  it  to  the  officiating 
person,  who  receives  it  standing  and  holds  it 
between  both  his  hands.  He  then  turns  him- 
self to  the  East,  and  draws  a  few  whiffs, 
which  he  blows  to  that  point.  The  same  cere- 
mony he  observes  to  the  other  three  quarters, 
with  his  e^-es  directed  upwards  during  the 
clii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

whole  of  it.  He  holds  the  stem  about  the 
middle  between  the  three  first  fingers  of  both 
hands,  and  raising  them  upon  a  line  with  his 
forehead,  he  swings  it  three  times  round 
from  the  East,  with  the  sun,  when,  after 
l)()inting  and  balancing  it  in  various  direc- 
tions, he  reposes  it  on  the  forks :  he  then 
makes  a  speech  to  explain  the  design  of  their 
being  called  together,  which  concludes  with 
an  acknowledgment  for  past  mercies,  and  a 
prayer  for  the  continuance  of  them,  from  the 
Master  of  Life.  He  then  sits  down,  and  the 
wliole  company  declare  their  approbation  and 
thanks  by  uttering  the  word  ho  f  with  an  em- 
phatic prolongation  of  the  last  letter.  The 
Michiniwais  then  takes  up  the  pipe  and  holds 
it  to  the  mouth  of  the  officiating  person,  who, 
after  smoking  three  whiffs  out  of  it,  utters  a 
short  prayer,  and  then  goes  round  with  it, 
taking  his  course  from  East  to  West,  to  every 
person  present,  who  individually  says  some- 
thing to  him  on  the  occasion ;  and  thus  the 
pipe  is  generally  smoked  out;  when,  after 
turning  it  three  or  four  times  round  his  head, 
he  drops  it  downwards,  and  replaces  it  in  its 
original  situation.  He  then  returns  the  com- 
pany thanks  for  their  attendance,  and  wishes 
them,  as  well  as  the  whole  tribe,  health  and 
long  life. 

Tliese  smoking  rites  precede  every  matter 
of    great  importance,  with  more  or  less  cere- 
cliii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

inoiiy,  but  always  Avith  equal  solemnity.  The 
utility  of  them  will  appear  from  the  follow- 
ing relation. 

If  a  chief  is  anxious  to  know  the  disposi- 
tion of  his  people  towards  him,  or  if  he 
wishes  to  settle  any  difference  between  them, 
he  announces  his  intention  of  opening  his 
medicine-bag  and  smoking  in  his  sacred  stem ; 
and  no  man  who  entertains  a  grudge  against 
any  of  the  party  thus  assembled  can  smoke 
with  the  sacred  stem ;  as  that  ceremony  dis- 
sipates all  differences,  and  is  never  violated. 

No  one  can  avoid  attending  on  these  occa- 
sions; but  a  person  may  attend  and  be  ex- 
cused from  assisting  at  the  ceremonies,  by 
acknowledging  that  he  has  not  undergone  the 
necessary  purification.  The  having  cohabited 
with  his  wife,  or  any  other  woman,  within 
twenty-four  hours  preceding  the  ceremony, 
renders  him  unclean,  and,  consequently,  dis- 
qualifies him  from  performing  any  part  of  it. 
If  a  contract  is  entered  into  and  solemnised 
by  the  ceremony  of  smoking,  it  never  fails  of 
being  faithfully  fulfilled.  If  a  person,  pre- 
vious to  his  going  a  journey,  leaves  the  sacred 
stem  as  a  pledge  of  his  return,  no  considera- 
tion whatever  will  prevent  him  from  execut- 
ing his  engagement.* 

*It  is,  however,  to  be  lamented,  that  of  late  there 
is  a  relaxation  of  the  duties  originally  attached  to 
these  festivals. 

cliv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

The  chief,  when  he  proposes  to  make  a 
feast,  sends  quills,  or  small  pieces  of  wood, 
as  tokens  of  invitation  to  such  as  he  wishes 
to  partake  of  it.  At  the  appointed  time  the 
guests  arrive,  each  bringing  a  dish  or  platter, 
and  a  knife,  and  take  their  seats  on  each  side 
of  the  chief,  who  receives  them  sitting,  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  ages.  The  pipe  is 
then  lighted,  and  he  makes  an  equal  division 
of  every  thing  that  is  provided.  While  the 
company  are  enjoying  their  meal,  the  chief 
sings,  and  accompanies  his  song  with  the 
tambourine,  or  shishiquoi,  or  rattle.  The 
guest  who  has  first  eaten  his  portion  is  con- 
sidered as  the  most  distinguished  person.  If 
there  should  be  any  who  cannot  finish  the 
whole  of  their  mess,  they  endeavour  to  pre- 
vail on  some  of  their  friends  to  eat  it  for 
them,  who  are  rewarded  for  their  assistance 
with  ammunition  and  tobacco.  It  is  proper 
also  to  remark,  that  at  these  feasts  a  small 
quantity  of  meat  or  drink  is  sacrificed,  before 
they  begin  to  eat,  by  throwing  it  into  the 
fire,  or  on  the  earth. 

These  feasts  differ  according  to  circum- 
stances; sometimes  each  man's  allowance  is 
no  more  than  he  can  despatch  in  a  couple  of 
hours.  At  other  times  the  quantity  is  suffi- 
cient to  supply  each  of  them  with  food  for  a 
week,  though  it  must  be  devoured  in  a  day. 
On  these  occasions  it  is  very  difficult  to  pro- 
clv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

cure  substitutes,  and  the  whole  must  be  eaten 
whatever  time  it  may  require.  At  some  of 
these  entertainments  there  is  a  more  rational 
arrangement,  when  the  guests  are  allowed  to 
carry  home  with  them  the  superfluous  part 
of  their  portions.  Great  care  is  always  taken 
that  the  bones  may  be  burned,  as  it  would  be 
considered  a  profanation  were  the  dogs  per- 
mitted to  touch  them. 

The  public  feasts  are  conducted  in  the  same 
manner,  but  with  some  additional  ceremony. 
Several  chiefs  officiate  at  them,  and  procure 
the  necessary  provisions,  as  well  as  prepare  a 
proper  place  of  reception  for  the  numerous 
company.  Here  the  guests  discourse  upon 
public  topics,  repeat  the  heroic  deeds  of  their 
forefathers,  and  excite  the  rising  generation 
to  follow  their  example.  The  entertainments 
on  these  occasions  consist  of  dried  meats,  as 
it  would  not  be  practicable  to  dress  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  fresh  meat  for  such  a  large 
assembly;  though  the  women  and  children 
are  excluded. 

Similar  feasts  used  to  be  made  at  funerals, 
and  amiually,  in  honour  of  the  dead;  but 
they  have  been,  for  some  time,  growing  into 
disuse,  and  I  never  had  an  opportunity  of 
being  present  at  any  of  them. 

The  women,  who  are  forbidden  to  enter  the 
places  sacred  to  these  festivals,  dance  and 
sing  around  them,  and  sometimes  beat  time 
clvi 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

to  the  music  within  them ;  which  forms  an 
agreeable  contrast. 

AVith  respect  to  their  divisions  of  time, 
they  compute  the  length  of  their  journeys  by 
the  number  of  nights  passed  in  performing 
them ;  and  they  divide  the  year  by  the  suc- 
cession of  moons.  In  this  calculation,  hoAv- 
ever,  they  are  not  altogether  correct,  as  they 
cannot  account  for  the  odd  days. 

The  names  which  they  give  to  the  names 
are  descriptive  of  the  several  seasons. 


June 


Atheiky  o  Pishim 
Oppinu  o  Pishim 


Aupascen  o  Pishim 


July 

August  Aupahou  o  Pishim 

September 


October 
November 


December 
January 


W  a  s  k  i  s  c  o  n     o 
Pishim 

Wisac  o  Pishim 
Thithigon  Pewai 

o  Pishim 
Kuskatinayoui   o 

Pishim 
Pawatchicauana- 

sis  0  Pishim 
Kushapawastica- 

num  o  Pisiiim 
clvii 


Frog  Moon. 

The  Moon  in  wliich 

birds  begin  to  lay 

their  eggs. 
The     Moon     when 

birds    cast    their 

feathers. 
The     Moon     when 

the  young  birds 

begin  to  fly. 
The     Moon     when 

the    moose    deer 

cast  their  horns. 
The  Rutting-Moon. 
Hoar-Frost  Moon. 

Ice  Moon. 

Whirlwind  Moon. 

E  .\  t  r  e  m  e     cold 
Moou. 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

Ffbiuary       Kiclii  Pishim  Big     Moon ;     sonic 

say,  Old  Moon. 
March  IVIickysuo  Pishim     Eagle  Moon. 

April  Niscaw  o  Pishim      Goose  Moon. 

These  people  know  the  medicinal  virtues  of 
many  herbs  and  simples,  and  apply  the  roots 
of  plants  and  the  bark  of  trees  with  success. 
But  the  conjurers,  who  monopolise  the  med- 
ical science,  find  it  necessary  to  blend  mys- 
tery with  their  art,  and  do  not  communicate 
their  knowledge.    Their  materia  medica  they 
administer  in  the  form  of  purges  and  clysters, 
but  the  remedies  and  surgical  operations  are 
supposed  to  derive  much  of  their  effect  from 
magic  and  incantation.     When  a  blister  rises 
in   the  foot  from  the  frost,  the  chafing  of  the 
shoe,   etc.,  they   immediately    open  it,   and 
apply  the  heated  blade  of  a  knife  to  the  part, 
Avhich,  painful  as  it  may  be,  is  found  to  be 
efficacious.     A  sharp  flint  serves  them  as  a 
lancet  for  letting  blood,  as  well  as  for  scari- 
fication in  bruises  and  swellings.    For  sprains, 
the  dung  of  an  animal  just  killed  is  consid- 
ered as  the  best  remedy.     They  are  very  fond 
of  European  medicines,  though  they  are  ig- 
norant of  their  application  :  and  those  articles 
form  an  inconsiderable  part  of  the  European 
traffic  with  them. 

Among   their   various    superstitions,   they 
believe  that  the  vapour  which  is  seen  to  hover 
over  moist  and  swampy  places,  is  the  spirit 
clviii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

of  some  person  lately  dead.  They  also  fancy 
another  spirit  which  appears,  in  the  shape  of 
a  man,  upon  the  trees  near  the  lodge  of  a 
person  deceased,  Avhose  property  has  not  been 
interred  with  them.  He  is  represented  as 
bearing  a  gun  in  his  hand,  and  it  is  believed 
that  he  does  not  return  to  his  rest,  till  the 
property  that  has  been  withheld  from  the 
grave  has  been  sacrificed  to  it. 


Examples  op  the  Knisteneaux  and  Algonquin 
Tongues. 


Good  Spirit 

Evil  Spirit 

Man 

Woman 

Male 

Female 

Infant 

Head 

Forehead 

Hair 

Ej^es 

Nose 

Nostrils 

Mouth 

My  teeth 

Tongue 

Beard 

Brain 

Ears 

Necji 


Knisteneaux. 
Ki  jai  Manitou 
Matchi  manitou 
Ethini 
Esquois 
Nap  hew 
Non-gense 
A'  wash  ish 
Us  ti  quoin 
Es  caatick 
Wes  ty-ky 
Es  kis  och 
Oskiwin 
Oo    tith    ee 

mow 
O  toune 
Wip  pit  tall 
Otaithani 
Michitoune 
With  i  tip 
()  low  ee  gie 
O  qui  o\v 

clix 


go 


Algonquin. 
Ki  jai  Manitou. 
Matchi  manitou. 
Inini 

Ich-quois. 
Aquoisi. 
Nongense. 
Abi  nont-chen. 
O'chitigoine. 
O  catick. 
Winessis. 
Oskingick. 
O'chengewane. 
Ni-de-ni-guom. 

O  tonne. 
Nibit. 
0-tai  na-ui, 
Omichitoim. 
Aba-e  winikan. 
0-ta  wagaue. 
O'quui  gan. 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 


Throat 

Anns 

Fingers 

Nails 

Side 

;My  back 

My  belly 

Thighs 

My  knees 

Legs 

Heart 

!My  father 

M}'  mother 

;My  boy  (son) 

My  girl  (daugh- 
ter) 

My  brother, 
elder 

iVFy  sister,  elder 

My  grandfather 

My  grandmother 

M)'  uncle 

My  nephew 

My  niece 

My  mother  -  in 
law 

My  brother  in- 
law 

My  companion 

My  husband 
Blood 
Old  ]\ran 
I  am  angry 
I  fear 


Knisteneaux. 
O  koot  tas  gy 
O  nisk 
Che  chee 
Wos  kos  sia 
O's  spig  gy 
No  pis  quan 
Nattay 
O  povam 
No  che  quoin 
Nos 

Ok  thea 
Noo  ta  wie 
Nigah  wei 
Negousis 
Netanis 

Ni  stess 

Ne  miss 
Ne  moo  shura 
N'o  kum 
N'  o'kamiss 
Ne  too  sim 


AlporKiuin. 
Nigon  daganc. 
O  nic. 

Ni  nid  gines. 
Os-kenge. 
Opikegau. 
Nipi  quoini. 
Ni  my  sat. 
Obouame. 
noh  Ni  gui  tick. 
Ni  gatte. 
Othai. 
Nossai. 
Nigah. 
Nigouisses. 
Nidaniss. 

Nis-a-yen. 

Nimisain. 

Ni-mi-chomiss. 

No-co-niiss. 

Ni  ni  micliomen. 

Ne  do  jim. 


Ne   too    sim  es- Ni-dojimequois 

quois 
Nisigouse  Ni  sigousiss. 


Nistah 


Nitah. 


Ne  wechi  wagan  Ni   wit  -  chi   wa 

gan. 
Ni  nap  pern  Ni  na  bem. 

Mith  coo  Misquoi. 

Shi  nap  Aki  win  se. 

Ne  kis  si  wash  en  Nis  Katissiwiue. 
Ne  goos  tow         Niscst  guse. 
clx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 


Knisteneaux. 

Algonquin. 

Joy 

Ne  hea  tha  torn 

Mamoud  gikisi. 

Hearing 

Pethom 

Oda  wagan. 

Track 

Mis  couna 

Pemi  ka  wois. 

Chief,    great 

,  Haukiniali 

Kitchi  onodis. 

ruler 

Thief 

Kismouthesk 

Ke  moutiske. 

Excrement 

Meyee 

Moui. 

Buffalo 

Moustouche 

Pichike. 

Ferret 

Sigous 

Shingouss. 

Polecat 

Shicak 

Shi  kak. 

Elk 

Moustouche 

Michai  woi. 

Rein  deer 

Attick 

Atick. 

Fallow  deer 

Attick 

Wa  wasquesh. 

Beaver 

Amisk 

Amic. 

Wolverine 

Qui  qua  katch 

Quin  quoagki. 

Squirrel 

Ennequachas 

Otchi  ta  mou. 

Minx 

Sa  quasue 

Shaugouch. 

Otter 

Nekick 

Ni  guick. 

Wolf 

Mayegan 

Maygan. 

Hare 

Wapouce 

Wapouce. 

Marten 

Wappistan 

Wabichinse. 

Moose 

Mouswah 

Mouse. 

Bear 

Masqua 

Macqua. 

Fisher 

Wijask 

Od-jisck. 

Lynx 

Picheu 

Pechou. 

Porcupine 

Cau  quah 

Kack. 

Fox 

Mikasew 

Wagouche. 

Musk  Rat 

AVajask 

Wa-jack. 

Mouse 

Abicushiss 

Wai  wa  be  gou 
noge. 

Cow  Buffalo 

Noshi  Mous 
touche 

1  -  Nochena  pichik. 

Meat-flesh 

Wias 

Wi-ass. 

Dog 

Atim 

Ani-mouse. 

Eagle 

Makusue 

Meguissis. 

Duck 

Sy  Sip 

Shisip. 

11 

clxi 

A  GENERAL   HISTORY 


Knisteneaux. 

Algonquin. 

Crow,  Corbeau 

Ca  Cawkeu 

Ka  Kak. 

Swan 

Wapiseu 

Wa-pe-sy. 

Turkey 

Mes  sei  thew 

Mississay. 

Pheasants 

Okes  kew 

Ajack. 

Bird 

Pethesew 

Pi-na-sy. 

Outard 

Niscag 

Nic  kack. 

Wliite  Goose 

Wey  Wois 

Woi  wois. 

Grey  Goose 

Pestasish 

Pos  ta  kisk. 

Partridge 

Pithew 

Pen  ainse. 

Water  Hen 

Chiquibish 

Che  qui  bis. 

Dove 

Omi  Mee 

0  mi-mis. 

Eggs 

Wa  Wah 

Wa  Weni. 

Pike  or  Jack 

Kenonge 

Kenonge. 

Carp 

Na  may  bin 

Na  me  bine. 

Sturgeon 

Na  May 

Na  Maiu. 

White  fish 

Aticaming 

Aticaming. 

Pickerel 

Oc-chaw 

Oh-ga. 

Fish  (in  general) 

Kenonge 

Ki-cous. 

Spawn 

Waquon 

Wa  quock. 

Fins 

Chi  chi  kan 

0  nidj-igan. 

Trout 

Nay  gouse 

Na  Men  Gouse. 

Craw  Fish 

A  shag  gee 

A  cha  kens  chac 
que. 

Frog 

Athick 

0  ma  ka  ki. 

Wasp 

Ah  moo 

A  mon. 

Turtle 

Mikinack 

Mi-ki-nack. 

Snake 

Kinibick 

Ki  nai  bick. 

Awl 

Oscajick 

Ma-gose. 

Needle 

Saboinigau 

Sha-bo  nigan. 

Fire  steel 

Appet 

Scoutecgan. 

Fire  wood 

Mich-tah 

Missane. 

Cradle 

Teckinigan 

Tickina-gan. 

Dagger 

Ta  Comagau 

Na  -  ba  -  ke  -  gou- 
man. 

Arrow 

Augusk  or  Atou 
die 

clxii 

-  Mettickanouins. 

OF  THE  FLU  TRADE,  «S:c. 


Knlsteneaux. 

Algonquin. 

Fish  Hook 

Quosquipichican  Maneton  Miquis- 

can. 

Ax 

Shegaygan 

Wagagvette. 

Ear- bob 

Chikisebisouu 

Na    be    chi     be 
soun. 

Comb 

Sicahoun 

Pin  ack  wan. 

Net 

Athabe 

Assap. 

Tree 

Mistick 

Miti-coum. 

Wood 

Mistick 

Mitic. 

Paddle 

Aboi 

Aboui. 

Canoe 

Chinian 

S-chiman. 

Birch  Rind 

Wasquoi 

Wig  nass. 

Bark 

Wasquoi 

On-na-guege. 

Touch  Wood 

Pousagan 

Sa-ga-tagan. 

Leaf 

Nepeshah 

Ni-biche. 

Grass 

Masquosi 

Masquosi. 

Raspberries 

Misqui -meinac 

Misqui  meinac. 

Strawberries 

O'-tai-e  minac 

O'-tai-e  minac. 

Ashes 

Pecouch 

Pengoui. 

Fire 

Scou  tay 

Scou  tay. 

Grapes 

Shomenac 

Shomenac. 

Fog 

Pakishihow 

A  Winni. 

Mud 

Asus  ki 

A  Shiski. 

Currant 

Kisijiwiu 

Kl  si  chi  woin. 

Road 

Mescanah 

Mickanan. 

Winter 

Pipouu 

Pi  pone. 

Island 

Ministick 

Miuiss. 

Lake 

Sagayigau 

Sagayigau. 

!Sun 

Pisim 

Kijis. 

Moon 

T  i  b  i  sc  a  pesini 
(the  night  Suu 

Dibic  Kiji 

) 

Day 

Kigigah 

Kigi  gatte. 

Night 

Tabisca 

Dibic  kawte. 

Snow 

Counah 

So  qui  po. 

Rain 

Kimiwoin 

Ki  mi  woini 

Drift 

Pewan 

clxiii 

Pi-woine. 

A  GENERAL  HISTORY 


Knistcncaux. 

AlKomiuin. 

Hail 

Shes  eagan 

Me  ([ua  mcnsan. 

Ice 

Mesquaming 

Me  quani. 

Frost 

Aquatin 

Gas-ga-tin. 

Mist 

Picasyovvf 

An-quo-et. 

Water 

Nepec 

Nipci. 

World 

Messeasky    (all 
the  earth) 

Missi  achki. 

Mountain 

Wachee 

Watchive. 

Sea 

Kitchi  kitchi  ga 

-  Kitchi  kitchi  ga- 

miug 

ming. 

Morning 

Kequishepe 

Ki-ki-jep. 

Mid-day 

Abetah  (juisheik 

Na  ock  quoi. 

Portage 

Unygani 

Ouni-gam. 

Spring 

Menouscaming 

Mino  ka  ming. 

River 

Sipee 

Sipi. 

Rapid 

Bawastick 

Ba  wetick. 

Rivulet 

Sepeesis 

Sipi  wes  chin. 

Sand 

Thocaw 

Ne  gawe. 

Earth 

Askee 

Ach  ki. 

Star 

Attack 

Anang. 

Thunder 

Pithuseu 

Ni  mi  ki. 

Wind 

Thoutiu 

No  tine. 

Calm 

Athawostin 

A-no-a-tine. 

Heat 

Quishipoi 

Aboyce. 

Evening 

Ta  kashike 

O'n-a-guche. 

North 

Kywoitin 

Ke  woitinak. 

South 

Sawena  woon 

S  h  a  -  w  a    n  a  - 

wang. 

East 

Coshawcastak 

Wa  ba-  uo-no- 
tine. 

West 

Paquisimow 

Panguis-chi-mo. 

To-morrow 

Wabank 

Wa-bang. 

Bone 

Oskann 

Oc-kann. 

Brotli 

Michim  waboi 

Thaboub. 

Feast 

Ma  qua  see 

Wi  con  qui  wine. 

Grease  or  oil 

Pimis 

clxiv 

Pimi-tais. 

OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 


Knisteneaiix. 

Algonquin. 

Marrow  fat 

Sinew 

Oscan  pimis 
Asstis 

Oska-pimitais. 
Attiss. 

Lodge 

Bed 

Within 

Wig-waum 
Ne  pa  win 
Pendog  ke 

Wi-gui-wam. 
Ne  pai  wiue. 
Peudig. 

Door 

Squaudam 

Scouandam. 

Dish 
Fort 

Othagan 

Wasgaigan 

0'  na  gann. 
Wa-kuigan. 

Sledge 

Tabauask 

Otabauac. 

Ciucture 
Ca  p 

Poquoatehouu 
Astotin 

Ketche  pisou. 
Pe  matiuang. 

Socks 

Ashican 

A  chi-gan. 

Shirt 
Coat 

Papackewej'au 
Papise-co-wa 

Pa  pa  ki  weyan. 
■  Papise  -  c  o  -  w  a 

Blanket 
Cloth 

gan 
Wape  weyang 
Maueto  weguin 

gan. 
Wape  weyan. 
Maueto  weguin. 

Thread 

Assabab 

Assabab. 

Garters 

Chi  ki-bisoon 

Fi  gaske-tase  be- 
soun. 

Mittens 

Astissack 

Medjica  wine. 

Shoes 

Maskisiu 

Makisiu. 

Smoking  bag 
Portage  sling 
Strait  on 

Kusquepetagan 

Apisan 

Goi  ask 

Kasquepetagan. 

Apican. 

Goi-ack. 

Medicine 

Mas  ki  kee 

Macki-ki. 

Red 

Mes  coh 

Mes-cowa. 

Blue 

Kasqutch  (same 
as  black) 

!  0-jawes-cowa. 

White 

Wabisca 

Wabisca. 

Yellow 

Saw  waw 

0-jawa. 

Green 
Brown 

Chibatiquare 

O'jawcs-cowa. 
O'jawes-cowa. 

Grey,  etc. 

O'jawes-cowa. 

Ugly 

Mache    ua   gou- 

M  <)  u  s  -  0  o  u  n  u- 

seu 
clxv 

gouse. 

A  GENERAL   HISTORY 


Knisteneaux. 

Haudsonie 

Catawassiseu 

Beautiful 

Kissi  Saweuogan 

Deaf 

Nima  petom 

Good  uatured 

Mithiwashiu 

Pregnant 

Paawie 

Fat 

Outhineu 

Big 

Mushikitee 

Small  or  little 

Abisasheu 

Short 

Chemasish 

Skin 

Wian 

Long 

Kinwain 

Strong 

Mascawa 

Coward 

Sagatahaw 

Weak 

Nitha  missew 

Lean 

Mahta  waw 

Brave 

Nima  Gustaw 

Young  man 

Osquineguish 

Cold 

Kissin 

Hot 

Kichatai 

Spring 

Minouscamiug 

Summer 

Nibiu 

Fall 

Tagowagonk 

One 

Peyac 

Two 

Nisheu 

Three 

Nishtou 

Four 

Neway 

Five 

Ni-annan 

Six 

Negoutawoesic 

Seven 

Nish  woisic 

Eight 

Jannanew 

Nine 

Shack 

Ten 

Mitatat 

Eleven 

Peyac  osap 

clxvi 


Algonquin. 
Nam  bissa. 
Quoi  Natch. 
Ka  ki  be  chai. 
Onichishin. 
And  jioko. 
Oui  ui  noe. 
Messha. 
Agu-chiu. 
Tackosi. 
Wian. 
Kiniwa. 

Mache-cawa. 

Mascawise. 
Cha-goutai-ye. 
Chagousi. 
Ka  wa  ca  tosa. 
Son  qui  taige. 
Oskinigui. 
Ki.ssinan. 
Kicha  tai. 
Miuokaming. 
Nibiqui. 
Tagowag. 
Pecheik. 
Nige. 
Nis-wois. 
Ne-au. 
Na-nan. 
Ni    gouta    was- 

wois. 
Nigi-was-wois. 
She  was  wois. 
Shann  was  wois. 
Mit-asswoi.s. 
Mitasswois, 

hachi  pecheik. 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 


Knlsteneaux. 

Algonquin. 

Twelve 

Nisheu  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,  nige. 

Thirteen 

Nichtou  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,  niswois. 

Fourteen 

Neway  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,  neau. 

Fifteen 

Niannan  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,  nanan. 

Sixteen 

Nigoutawo  e  s  i  c 

Mitasswois, 

osap 

hachi,    negou- 
tawaswois. 

Seventeen 

Nish  woesic  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,  n  igi 
was-wois. 

Eighteen 

Jannanew  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,  shiwass- 
wois. 

Nineteen 

Shack  osap 

Mitasswois, 
hachi,      shang 
as  wois. 

Twenty 

Nisheu  mitenah 

Nigeta-nan. 

Twenty -one 

Nishew  mitenah  Nigeta  nan, 

peyac  osap 

haclii,  pechic. 

T  w  e  n  t  y  - 1  w  0, 

Nisheu    mitenah 

etc. 

nishew  osap 

Thirty 

Nishtou  mitenah  Niswois       mita- 

nan. 

Forty 

Neway  mitenah 

Neau  mitanan. 

Fifty 

Niannan      mite- 
nah 

Nanan  mitanan. 

Sixty 

Negoutawoisic 

N  i  g  0  u  t  a  was 

mitenah 

wois  mitanan. 

Seventy 

Nishwoisic  mite- 

Nigi   was    wois 

nah 

mitanan. 

Eighty 

Jannaeu  mitenah  She  was  wos  mi- 

tanan. 

clxvii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 


Knlsteneaux. 

Algonquin. 

Ninety- 

Shack  mitenah 

Shang  was  wois 
mitanan. 

Hundred 

Mitana  mitenan 

Ningoutwack. 

Two  hundred 

Neshew  mitcua  a 
mitenah 

Nigc  wack. 

One  thousand 

INIitenah    mitena  Kitchi  wack. 

mitenah 

First 

Nican 

Nitam. 

Last 

Squayatch 

Shaquoiyanke. 

More 

Minah 

Awa-chi  niin. 

Better 

Atliiwack  mitha- 

■  A    wacliimin     o 

washin 

nifhi  shen. 

Best 

Atniwack  mil  ha 

Kitchi    o     nielli 

wasiiin 

shin. 

I,  or  me 

Nitha 

Nin. 

You,  or  thou 

Kitha 

Kin. 

They,  or  them 

Witluiwaw 

Win  na  wa. 

We 

Nithawaw 

Nina  wa. 

My,  or  mine 

Nitayau 

Nida  yam. 

Your's 

Kitayan 

Kitayam. 

Who 

Auoni. 

Whom 

Awoine 

Kegoi  nin. 

What 

Wa. 

His,  or  her's 

Otayan 

Otayim  mis. 

All 

Kakitliau 

Kakenau. 

Some,    or    some  Pey  peyac 

Pe-pichic. 

few 

The  same 

Tabescoutch 

Mi  ta  yoche. 

All  the  world 

Missi   acki  wan 
que 

-  Mishiwai  asky. 

All  the  men 

Kakitliaw     Ethi  ]\I  i  s  s  i     I  n  i  n  i 

nyock 

week. 

More 

Mina 

]\Iina  wa. 

Now  and  tlien 

Nannigouten- 
gue. 

Sometimes 

I  as  cow-puco 
elxviii 

OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  «S:c. 


Seldom 

Arrive 

Beat 

To  burn 

To  sing 

To  cut 

To  hide 

To  cover 

To  believe 

To  sleep 

To  dispute 

To  dance 

To  give 

To  do 

To  eat 

To  die 

To  forget 

To  speak 

To  cry  (tears) 

To  laugh 

To  set  down 

To  walk 

To  fall 

To  work 

To  kill 

To  sell 

To  live 

To  see 

To  come 

Enough 

Cry  (tears) 

It  hails 

There  is  / 

There  is  some  ^ 

It  rains 

After  tomorrow 


Enfsteneaux. 

Ta  couchin 

Otaraaha 

Mistascasoo 

Nagamoun 

Kisquishan 

Catann 

Acquahoun 

Taboitam 

Nepan 

Ke  ko  mitowock 

Nemaytow 

Mith 

Ogitaun 

Wissinee 

Nepew 

Winnekiskisew 

Athimetakcouse 

Mantow 

Papew 

Nematappe 

Pimoutais 

Packisin 

Ah  tus  kew 

Nipahaw 

Attawoin 

Pimatise 

Wabam 

Astamoteh 

Egothigog 

Manteau 

Shisiagan 

Aya  wa 

Quimiwoin 
Awis  wabank 
clxix 


Algonquin. 
Wica  ac-ko. 
Ta-gouchiu. 
Packit  ais. 
Icha  quiso. 
Nagam. 
Qui  qui  jan. 
Caso  tawe. 
A  CO  na  oune. 
Tai  boitam. 
Ni  pann. 
Ki  quaidiwine. 
Nimic. 
Mih. 

0-gitoune. 
Wissiniwin. 
Ni  po  wen. 
Woi  ni  mi  kaw. 
Auinntagousse. 
Ma  wi. 
Pa-pe 

Na  matape  win. 
Pemoussai. 
Panguishin. 
Anokeh. 
Nishi-woes. 
Ata  wois. 
Pematis. 
Wab. 

Pitta-si-mouss. 
Mi  mi  nic. 
Ambai  ma  Avita. 
Sai  saigaun. 

Aya  wan. 

Qui  mi  Avoin. 
Awes  wabang. 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 


Today 

Thereawa)^ 

Much 

Presently 

Make,  lieart 

This  inoruiug 

This  night 

Above 

Below 

Truly 

Already 

Yet  more 

Yesterday 

Far 

Near 

Never 

No 

Yes 

By -and -bye 

Always 

Make  haste 

It's  long  since 


Kuisteueaux. 
Anoutch 
Netoi 
Michett 
Pichisqua 
Quilhipeh 
Sliebas 
Tibiscag 
Espiniiug 
Tabassish 
Taboiy 
Sashay 
Minah 
Tacoushick 
Wathow 
Quishiwoac 
Nima  wecatch 
Nima 
Ah 

Pa-nima 
Ka-kikee 
Quethepeh 
Mewaisha 


Algouquin. 
Non  gum. 
Awoite. 
Ni  bi  wa. 
Pitchinac. 
AVai  we  be. 
Shai  bas. 
De  bi  cong. 
O  kitchiai. 
Ana  mai. 
Ne  de  wache. 
Sha  shaye. 
Mina  wa. 
Pitchinago. 
Wassa. 
Paishou. 
Ka  wi  ka. 
Ka  wine. 
In. 

Pa  nima. 
Ka  qui  nick 
Niguim. 
Mon  wisha. 


clxx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 


SOME   ACCOUNT   OF   THE   CHEPE- 
WYAN   INDIANS. 

They  are  a  numerous  people,  who  consider 
the  country  between  the  parallels  of  latitude 
60.  and  65.  North,  and  longitude  100.  to 
110.  West,  as  their  lands  or  home.  They 
speak  a  copious  language,  which  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  be  attained,  and  furnishes  dialects  to 
the  various  emigrant  tribes  which  inhabit  the 
following  immense  track  of  country,  whose 
boundary  I  shall  describe.*  It  begins  at 
Churchill,  and  runs  along  the  line  of  separa- 
tion between  them  and  the  Knisteneaux,  up 
the  Missinipi  to  the  Isle  a  la  Crosse,  passing 
on  through  the  Buffalo  Lake,  River  Lake, 
and  Portage  la  Loche :  from  thence  it  pro- 
ceeds by  the  Elk  River  to  the  Lake  of  the 
Hills,  and  goes  directly  West  to  the  Peach 
River;  and  up  that  river  to  its  source  and 
tributary  waters ;  from  whence  it  proceeds  to 
the  waters  of  the  river  Columbia;  and  fol- 
lows that  river  to  latitude  52.  24.  North,  and 
longitude  22.  54.   West,  where   the    Chepe- 

*  Those  of  them  wlio  coiiu'  to  trade  with  us,  do  not 
exceed  eight  hundred  men,  and  have  a  smattering 
of  the  Kuisteneau  tongue,  in  which  they  carry  on 
their  dealings  with  us. 

clxxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

wyans  have  the  Atnah  or  Chin  Nation  for 
their  neighbours.  It  then  takes  a  line  due 
West  to  the  seacoast,  within  which,  the  coun- 
try is  possessed  by  a  people  who  speak  their 
language  *  and  are  consequently  descended 
from  them :  there  can  be  no  doubt,  therefore, 
of  their  progress  being  to  the  Eastward.  A 
tribe  of  them  is  even  known  at  the  upper 
establishments  on  the  Saskatchiwine ;  and  I 
do  not  pretend  to  ascertain  how  far  they  may 
follow  the  Rocky  IVIountains  to  the  East. 

It  is  not  possible  to  form  any  just  estimate 
of  their  numbers,  but  it  is  apparent,  never- 
theless, that  they  are  by  no  means  propor- 
tionate to  the  vast  extent  of  their  territories, 
which  may,  in  some  degree,  be  attributed  to 
the  ravages  of  the  small-pox,  Avhich  are, 
more  or  less,  evident  throughout  this  part  of 
the  continent. 

The  notion  which  these  people  entertain  of 
the  creation,  is  of  a  very  singular  nature. 
They  believe  that,  at  the  first,  the  globe  was 
one  vast  and  entire  ocean,  inhabited  by  no 
living  creature,  except  a  mighty  bird,  whose 
eyes  were  fire,  whose  glances  were  lightning, 
and  the  clapping  of  whose  wings  were  thun- 
der. On  his  descent  to  the  ocean,  and  touch- 
ing it,   the   earth   instantly   arose,    and    re- 

*The  coast  is  inhabited  on  the  North  West  by  the 
Eskimaux,  and  on  the  Pacific  Ocean  by  a  people 
different  from  both. 

clxxii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

mained  on  the  surface  of  the  waters.  This 
omnipotent  bird  then  called  forth  all  the 
variety  of  animals  from  the  earth,  except  the 
Chepewyans,  who  were  produced  from  a  dog ; 
and  this  circumstance  occasions  their  aversion 
to  the  flesh  of  that  animal,  as  well  as  the 
people  who  eat  it.  This  extraordinary  tradi- 
tion proceeds  to  relate,  that  the  great  bird, 
having  finished  his  work,  made  an  arrow, 
which  was  to  be  preserved  with  great  care, 
and  to  remain  untouched ;  but  that  the  Chepe- 
wyans were  so  devoid  of  understanding,  as  to 
carry  it  away ;  and  the  sacrilege  so  enraged 
the  great  bird,  that  he  has  never  since  ap- 
peared. 

They  have  also  a  tradition  amongst  them, 
that  they  originally  came  from  another  coun- 
try, inhabited  by  very  wicked  people,  and 
had  traversed  a  great  lake,  which  was  nar- 
row, shallow,  and  full  of  islands,  where  they 
had  suffered  great  misery,  it  being  always 
winter,  with  ice  and  deep  snow.  At  the 
Copper-Mine  River,  where  they  made  the 
first  land,  the  ground  was  covered  with  cop- 
per, over  which  a  body  of  earth  had  since 
been  collected,  to  the  depth  of  a  man's  height. 
They  believe,  also,  that  in  ancient  times  their 
ancestors  lived  till  their  feet  were  worn  out 
with  walking,  and  their  throats  with  eating. 
They  describe  a  deluge,  when  the  waters 
spread  over  the  whole  earth,  except  the  high- 
clxxiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

est  mountains,  on  the  tops  of  which  they  pre- 
served themselves. 

They  believe,  that  immediately  after  their 
death,  they  pass  into  another  world,  where 
they  arrive  at  a  large  river,  on  which  they 
embark  in  a  stone  canoe,  and  that  a  gentle 
current  bears  them  on  to  an  extensive  lake, 
in  the  centre  of  which  is  a  most  beautiful 
island;  and  that,  in  the  view  of  this  delight- 
ful abode,  they  receive  that  judgment  for 
their  conduct  during  life,  which  terminates 
their  final  state  and  unalterable  allotment. 
If  their  good  actions  are  declared  to  predom- 
inate, they  are  landed  upon  the  island,  where 
there  is  to  be  no  end  to  their  happiness; 
Avhich,  however,  according  to  their  notions, 
consists  in  an  eternal  enjoyment  of  sensual 
pleasure,  and  carnal  gratification.  But  if 
their  bad  actions  weigh  down  the  balance, 
the  stone  canoe  sinks  at  once,  and  leaves 
them  up  to  their  chins  in  the  water,  to  be- 
hold and  regret  the  reward  enjoyed  by  the 
good,  and  eternally  struggling,  but  Avith  un- 
availing endeavours,  to  reach  the  blissful 
island,  from  which  they  are  excluded  for  ever. 

They  have  some  faint  notions  of  the  trans- 
migration of  the  soul ;  so  that  if  a  child  be 
born  with  teeth,  they  instantly  imagine,  from 
its  premature  appearance,  that  it  bears  a  re- 
semblance to  some  person  who  had  lived  to 
an  advanced  period,  and  that  he  has  assumed 
clxxiv  ., 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

a  renovated   life,  with  these   extraordinary 
tokens  of  maturity. 

The  Chepewyans  are  sober,  timorous,  and 
vagrant,  with  a  selfish  disposition  that  has 
sometimes  created  suspicions  of  their  integ- 
rity. Their  stature  has  nothing  remarkable 
in  it ;  but  though  they  are  seldom  corpulent, 
they  are  sometimes  robust.  Their  complexion 
is  swarthy;  their  features  coarse,  and  their 
hair  lank,  but  always  of  a  dingy  black ;  nor 
have  they  universally  the  piercing  eye,  which 
generally  animates  the  Indian  countenance. 
The  women  have  a  more  agreeable  aspect  than 
the  men,  but  their  gait  is  awkward,  which 
proceeds  from  their  being  accustomed,  nine 
months  in  the  year,  to  travel  on  snow-shoes 
and  drag  sledges  of  a  weight  from  two  to  four 
hundred  pounds.  They  are  very  submissive  to 
their  husbands,  who  have,  however,  their  fits 
of  jealousy;  and,  for  very  trifling  causes, 
treat  them  with  such  cruelty  as  sometimes  to 
occasion  their  death.  They  are  frequently 
objects  of  traffic ;  and  the  father  possesses  the 
right  of  disposing  of  his  daughter.*  The 
men  in  general  extract  their  beards,  though 
some  of  them  are  seen  to  prefer  a  bushy  black 
beard,  to  a  smooth  chin.  They  cut  their  hair 
in  various  forms,  or  leave  it  in  a  long,  natural 

*They  do  not,  however,  sell  them  as  slaves,  but  as 
companions  to  those  who  are  supposed  to  live  more 
comfortably  thuu  themselves. 
clxxv 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

flow,  according  as  their  caprice  or  fancy  sug- 
gests. The  women  always  Avear  it  in  great 
length,  and  soine  of  them  are  very  attentive 
to  its  arrangement.  If  they  at  any  time  ap- 
pear despoiled  of  their  tresses,  it  is  to  be 
esteemed  a  proof  of  the  husband's  jealousy, 
and  is  considered  as  a  severer  punishment 
than  manual  correction.  Both  sexes  have 
blue  or  black  bars,  or  from  one  to  four 
straight  lines  on  their  cheeks  or  forehead,  to 
distinguish  the  tribe  to  which  they  belong. 
These  marks  are  either  tattooed,  or  made  by 
drawing  a  thread,  dipped  in  the  necessary 
colour,  beneath  the  skin. 

There  are  no  people  more  attentive  to  the 
comforts  of  their  dress,  or  less  anxious  re- 
specting its  exterior  appearance.  In  the  win- 
ter it  is  composed  of  the  skins  of  deer,  and 
their  fawns,  and  dressed  as  fine  as  any 
chamois  leather,  in  the  hair.  In  the  summer 
their  apparel  is  the  same,  except  that  it  is 
prepared  without  the  hair.  Their  shoes  and 
leggins  are  sewed  together,  the  latter  reach- 
ing upwards  to  the  middle,  and  being  sup- 
ported by  a  belt,  under  which  a  small  piece 
of  leather  is  drawn  to  cover  the  private  parts, 
the  ends  of  which  fall  down  both  before  and 
behind.  In  the  shoes  they  put  the  hair  of 
the  moose  or  reindeer  with  additional  pieces 
of  leather  as  socks.  Tlie  shirt  or  coat,  wdien 
girted  round  the  waist,  reaches  to  the  middle 
clxxvi 


OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

of  the  thigh,  and  the  mittens  are  sewed  to  the 
sleeves,  or  are  suspended  by  strings  from  the 
shoulders.  A  ruff  or  tippet  surrounds  the 
neck,  and  the  skin  of  the  head  of  the  deer 
forms  a  curious  kind  of  cap.  A  robe,  made 
of  several  deer  or  fawn  skins  sewed  together, 
covers  the  whole.  This  dress  is  worn  single 
or  double,  but  always  in  the  winter,  with  the 
hair  within  and  without.  Thus  arrayed  a 
Chepewyan  will  lay  himself  down  on  the  ice 
in  the  middle  of  a  lake,  and  repose  in  com- 
fort ;  though  he  will  sometimes  find  a  diffi- 
culty in  the  morning  to  disencumber  himself 
from  the  snow  drifted  on  him  during  the 
night.  If  in  his  passage  he  should  be  in  want 
of  provision,  he  cuts  a  hole  in  the  ice,  when 
he  seldom  fails  of  taking  some  trout  or  pike, 
whose  eyes  he  instantly  scoops  out,  and  eats 
as  a  great  delicacy ;  but  if  they  should  not  be 
sufficient  to  satisfy  his  appetite,  he  will,  in 
this  necessity  make  his  meal  of  the  fish  in  its 
raw  state ;  but,  those  whom  I  saw,  preferred 
to  dress  their  victuals  when  circumstances 
admitted  the  necessary  preparation.  When 
they  are  in  that  part  of  their  country  which 
does  not  produce  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
wood  for  fuel,  they  are  reduced  to  the  same 
exigency,  though  they  generally  dry  their 
meat  in  the  sun.* 

*The  provision  Ciiilud  p(!ininican,  on  wliich  the 
Chepowyans,  as  well  as  the  other  savages  of  this 
12  clxxvii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

The  dress  of  the  women  differs  from  that 
of  the  men.  Their  leggins  are  tied  below  the 
knee ;  and  their  coat  or  shift  is  wide,  hang- 
ing down  to  the  ankle,  and  is  tucked  up  at 
pleasure  by  means  of  a  belt,  which  is  fastened 
round  the  waist.  Those  who  have  children 
have  these  garments  made  very  full  about  the 
shoulders,  as  when  they  are  travelling  they 
carry  their  infants  upon  their  backs,  next 
their  skin,  in  which  situation  they  are  per- 
fectly comfortable  and  in  a  position  conveni- 
ent to  be  suckled.     Nor  do  they  discontinue 

country,  chiefly  subsist  in  tlieir  journeys,  is  prepared 
in  the  following  manner:  The  lean  parts  of  the  flesh 
of  the  larger  animals  are  cut  in  thin  slices,  and  are 
placed  on  a  Avooden  grate  over  a  slow  fire,  or  exposed 
to  the  sun,  and  sometimes  to  the  frost.  These  oper- 
ations dry  it,  and  in  that  state  it  is  pounded  between 
two  stones;  it  will  then  keep  with  care  for  several 
years.  If,  however,  it  is  kept  in  large  quantities,  it 
is  disposed  to  ferment  in  the  spring  of  the  year, 
when  it  must  be  exposed  to  the  air,  or  it  will  soon 
decay.  TliC  inside  fat,  and  that  of  the  rump,  which 
is  much  thicker  in  these  wild  than  our  domestic  ani- 
mals, is  melted  down  and  mixed,  in  a  boiling  state 
with  the  pounded  meat,  in  equal  proportions:  it  is 
then  put  in  baskets  or  bags  for  the  convenience  of 
carrying  it.  Thus  it  becomes  a  nutritious  food,  and 
is  eaten,  without  any  further  preparation,  or  the 
addition  of  spice,  salt,  or  any  vegetable  or  farina- 
ceous substance.  A  little  time  reconciles  it  to  the 
palate.  There  is  another  sort  made  with  the  addi- 
tion of  marrow  and  dried  berries,  which  is  of  a  supe- 
rior quality. 

clxxviii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

to  give  their  milk  to  them  till  they  have  an- 
other child.  Childbirth  is  not  the  object  of 
that  tender  care  and  serious  attention  among 
the  savages  as  it  is  among  civilised  people. 
At  this  period  no  part  of  their  usual  occupa- 
tion is  omitted,  and  this  continual  and  regu- 
lar exercise  must  contribute  to  the  welfare  of 
the  mother,  both  in  the  progress  of  parturi- 
tion and  in  the  moment  of  delivery.  The 
women  have  a  singular  custom  of  cutting  off 
a  small  piece  of  the  navel  string  of  the  new- 
born children,  and  hang  it  about  their  necks: 
they  are  also  curious  in  the  covering  they 
make  for  it,  which  they  decorate  with  porcu- 
pine's quills  and  beads. 

Though  the  women  are  as  much  in  the 
power  of  the  men,  as  other  articles  of  their 
property,  they  are  always  consulted,  and 
possess  a  very  considerable  influence  in  the 
traffic  with  Europeans,  and  other  important 
concerns. 

Plurality  of  Avives  is  common  among  them, 
and  the  ceremony  of  marriage  is  of  a  very 
simple  nature.  The  girls  are  betrothed  at  a 
ver)-  early  period  to  those  whom  the  parents 
think  the  best  able  to  support  them :  nor  is 
the  inclination  of  the  women  considered. 
Whenever  a  separation  takes  place,  Avhich 
sometimes  happens,  it  depends  entirely  on 
the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  husband.  In 
coramon  with  the  other  Indians  of  this  couu- 
clxxix 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

try,  they  have  a  custom  respectmg  the  peri- 
odical state  of  a  woman,  which  is  rigorously 
observed :  at  that  time  she  must  seclude  her- 
self from  society.  They  are  not  even  allowed 
in  that  situation  to  keep  the  same  path  as  the 
men,  when  travelling :  and  it  is  considered  a 
great  breach  of  decency  for  a  woman  so  cir- 
cumstanced to  touch  any  utensils  of  manly 
occupation.  Such  a  circumstance  is  sup- 
posed to  defile  them,  so  that  their  subsequent 
use  would  be  followed  by  certain  mischief  or 
misfortune.  There  are  particular  skins  which 
the  women  never  touch,  as  of  the  bear  and 
wolf;  and  those  animals  the  men  are  seldom 
known  to  kill. 

They  are  not  remarkable  for  their  activity 
as  hunters,  which  is  owing  to  the  ease  with 
which  they  snare  deer  and  spear  fish :  and 
these  occupations  are  not  beyond  the  strength 
of  their  old  men,  women,  and  boys:  so  that 
they  participate  in  those  laborious  occupa- 
tions, which,  among  their  neighbours  are  con- 
fined to  the  women.  They  make  war  on  the 
Esquimaux,  who  cannot  resist  their  superior 
numbers,  and  put  them  to  death,  as  it  is  a 
principle  with  them  never  to  make  prisoners. 
At  the  same  time  they  tamely  submit  to  the 
Knisteneaux,  who  are  not  so  numerous  as 
themselves,  when  they  treat  them  as  enemies. 

They  do  not  affect  that  cold  reserve  at 
meeting,  either  among  themselves  or  stran- 
clxxx 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

gers,  which  is  common  with  the  Knisteneaux, 
but  communicate  mutually,  and  at  once,  all 
the  information  of  which  they  are  possessed. 
Xor  are  they  roused  like  them  from  an  ap- 
parent torpor  to  a  state  of  great  activity. 
They  are  consequently  more  uniform  in  this 
respect,  though  they  are  of  a  very  persever- 
ing disposition  when  their  interest  is  con- 
cerned. 

As  these  people  are  not  addicted  to  spirit- 
uous liquors,  they  have  a  regular  and  unin- 
terrupted use  of  their  understanding,  which 
is  always  directed  to  the  advancement  of 
their  own  interest;  and  this  disposition,  as 
may  be  readily  imagined,  sometimes  occa- 
sions them  to  be  charged  with  fraudulent 
habits.  They  will  submit  with  patience  to 
the  severest  treatment,  when  they  are  con- 
scious that  they  deserve  it,  but  will  never 
forget  or  forgive  any  wanton  or  unnecessary 
rigour.  A  moderate  conduct  I  never  found 
to  fail,  nor  do  I  hesitate  to  represent  them, 
altogether,  as  the  most  peaceable  tribe  of  In- 
dians known  in  North  America. 

There  are  conjurers  and  high-priests,  but  I 
was  not  present  at  any  of  their  ceremonies ; 
though  they  certainly  operate  in  an  extraor- 
dinary manner  on  the  imaginations  of  the 
people  in  the  cure  of  disorders.  Their  prin- 
cipal maladies  are,  rheumatic  pains,  the  flux 
and  consumption.  The  venereal  complaint  is 
clxxxi 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

very  common  ;  but  though  its  progress  is  slow, 
it  gradually  underuiines  the  constitution,  and 
brings  on  premature  decay.  They  have  re- 
course to  superstition  for  their  cure,  and 
charms  are  their  only  remedies,  except  the 
bark  of  the  willow,  which  being  burned  and 
reduced  to  powder,  is  strewed  upon  green 
wounds  and  ulcers,  and  places  contrived  for 
promoting  perspiration.  Of  the  use  of  sim- 
ples and  plants  they  have  no  knowledge;  nor 
can  it  be  expected,  as  their  country  does  not 
produce  them. 

Though  they  have  enjoyed  so  long  an  in- 
tercourse with  Europeans,  their  country  is  so 
barren,  as  not  to  be  capable  of  producing  the 
ordinary  necessaries  naturally  introduced  by 
such  a  communication  ;  and  they  continue,  in 
a  great  measure,  their  own  inconvenient  and 
awkward  modes  of  taking  their  game  and 
preparing  it  when  taken.  Sometimes  they 
drive  the  deer  into  the  small  lakes,  where 
they  spear  them,  or  force  them  into  inclo- 
sures,  where  the  bow  and  arrow  are  employed 
against  them.  These  animals  are  also  taken 
in  snares  make  of  skin.  In  the  former  in- 
stance the  game  is  divided  among  those  who 
have  been  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  it.  In 
the  latter  it  is  considered  as  private  property ; 
nevertheless,  any  unsuccessful  hunter  pass- 
ing by,  may  take  a  deer  so  caught,  leaving 
the  head,  skin,  and  saddle  for  the  owner, 
clxxxii 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

Thus,  though  they  have  no  regular  govern- 
ment, as  every  man  is  lord  in  his  own  family, 
they  are  influenced,  more  or  less,  by  certain 
principles  which  condone  to  their  general 
benefit. 

In  their  quarrels  with  each  other,  they  very 
rarely  proceed  to  a  greater  degree  of  violence 
than  is  occasioned  by  blows,  wrestlmg,  and 
pulling  of  the  hair,  while  their  abusive  lan- 
guage consists  in  applying  the  name  of  the 
most  offensive  animal  to  the  object  of  their 
displeasure,  and  adding  the  term  ugly,  and 
chiay,  or  still-born.* 

Their  arms  and  domestic  apparatus,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  articles  procured  from  Euro- 
peans, are  spears,  bows,  and  arrows,  fishing- 
nets,  and  lines  made  of  green  deer-skin  thongs. 
They  have  also  nets  for  taking  the  beaver  as 
he  endeavours  to  escape  from  his  lodge  when 
it  is  broken  open.  It  is  set  in  a  particular 
manner  for  the  purpose,  and  a  man  is  em- 
ployed to  watch  the  moment  when  he  enters 
the  snare,  or  he  would  soon  cut  his  way 
through  it.  He  is  then  thrown  upon  the  ice 
where  he  remains  as  if  he  had  no  life  in  him. 

The  snow-shoes  are  of  a  very  superior 
workmanship.  The  inner  part  of  their  frame 
is  straight,  the  outer  one  is  curved,  and  it  is 

*  This  name  is  also  applicable  to  the  foetus  of  an 
animal,  when  killed,  which  is  considered  as  one  of 
the  greatest  delicacies. 

clxxxiii 


A  GENERAL  HISTORY 

pointed  at  both  ends,  with  that  in  front 
turned  up.  They  are  also  laced  with  great 
neatness  with  thongs  made  of  deer-skin.  The 
sledges  are  formed  of  thin  slips  of  board 
turned  up  also  in  front,  and  are  highly  pol- 
ished with  crooked  knives,  in  order  to  slide 
along  with  facility.  Close-grained  wood  is, 
on  that  acount,  the  best ;  but  theirs  are  made 
of  the  red  or  swamp  spruce-tir  tree. 

The  country,  which  these  people  claim  as 
their  land,  has  a  very  small  quantity  of  earth, 
and  produces  little  or  no  wood  or  herbage. 
Its  chief  vegetable  substance  is  the  moss,  on 
which  the  deer  feed;  and  a  kind  of  rock 
moss,  which,  in  times  of  scarcity,  preserves 
the  lives  of  the  natives.  When  boiled  in 
water,  it  dissolves  into  a  clammy,  glutinous 
substance,  that  affords  a  very  sufficient  nour- 
ishment. But,  notwithstanding  the  barren 
state  of  their  country,  with  proper  care  and 
economy,  these  people  might  live  in  great 
comfort,  for  the  lakes  abound  in  fish,  and  the 
hills  are  covered  with  deer.  Though,  of  all 
the  Indian  people  of  this  continent  they  are 
considered  as  the  most  provident,  they  suffer 
severely  at  certain  seasons,  and  particularly 
in  the  dead  of  winter,  when  they  are  under 
the  necessity  of  retiring  to  their  scanty, 
stinted  woods.  To  the  Westward  of  them  the 
mnsk-ox  may  be  found,  but  they  have  no  de- 
pendence on  it  as  an  article  of  sustenance, 
clxxxiv 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

There  are  also  large  hares,  a  few  white 
wolves,  peculiar  to  their  country,  and  several 
kinds  of  foxes,  with  white  and  grey  par- 
tridges, etc.  The  beaver  and  moose-deer 
they  do  not  find  till  they  come  within  60  de- 
grees North  latitude ;  and  the  buffalo  is  still 
further  South.  That  animal  is  known  to  fre- 
quent an  higher  latitude  to  the  Westward  of 
their  country.  These  people  bring  pieces  of 
beautiful  variegated  marble,  which  are  found 
on  the  surface  of  the  earth.  It  is  easily 
worked,  bears  a  fine  polish,  and  hardens  with 
time ;  it  endures  heat,  and  is  manufactured 
into  pipes  or  calumets,  as  they  are  very  fond 
of  smoking  tobacco ;  a  luxury  which  the  Euro- 
peans communicated  to  them. 

Their  amusements  or  recreations  are  but 
few.  Their  music  is  so  inharmonious,  and 
their  dancing  so  awkward,  that  they  might 
be  supposed  to  be  ashamed- of  both,  as  they 
very  seldom  practise  either.  They  also  shoot 
at  marks,  and  play  at  the  games  common 
among  them ;  but  in  fact  they  prefer  sleep- 
ing to  either ;  and  the  greater  part  of  their 
time  is  passed  in  procuring  food,  and  resting 
from  the  toil  necessary  to  obtain  it. 

They  are  also  of  a  querulous  disposition, 

and  are  continually  making  complaints ;  which 

they  express  by  a  constant  repetition  of  the 

word  eduiy,  "  it  is  hard,"  in  a  whining  and 

plaintive  tone  of  voice. 

clxxxv 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 

They  are  superstitious  in  the  extreme,  and 
almost  every  action  of  their  lives,  however 
trivial,  is  more  or  less  influenced  by  some 
whimsical  notion.  I  never  observed  that 
they  had  any  partcular  form  of  religious  wor- 
ship; but  as  they  believe  in  a  good  and  evil 
spirit,  and  a  state  of  future  rewards  and 
punishments,  they  cannot  be  devoid  of  relig- 
ious impressions.  At  the  same  time  they 
manifest  a  decided  unwillingness  to  make  any 
communications  on  the  subject. 

The  Chepewyans  have  been  accused  of 
abandoning  their  aged  and  intirm  people  to 
perish,  and  of  not  burying  their  dead ;  but 
these  are  melancholy  necessities,  which  pro- 
ceed from  their  wandering  way  of  life.  They 
are  by  no  means  universal,  for  it  is  within  my 
knowledge,  that  a  man,  rendered  helpless  by 
the  palsy,  was  carried  about  for  many  years, 
with  the  gi-eatest  tenderness  and  attention, 
till  he  died  a  natural  death .  That  they  should 
not  bury  their  dead  in  their  own  country, 
cannot  be  imputed  to  them  as  a  custom  aris- 
ing from  a  savage  insensibility,  as  they  in- 
habit such  high  latitudes  that  the  ground 
never  thaws ;  but  it  is  well  known,  that  when 
they  are  in  the  woods,  they  cover  their  dead 
with  trees.  Besides,  they  manifest  no  com- 
mon respect  to  the  memory  of  their  departed 
friends,  by  a  long  period  of  mourning,  cut- 
ting off  their  hair,  and  never  making  use  of 
clxxxvi 


OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 

the  property  of  the  deceased.  Nay,  they 
frequently  destroy  or  sacrifice  their  own,  as 
a  token  of  regret  and  sorrow. 

If  there  be  any  people  who,  from  the  bar- 
ren state  of  their  country,  might  be  supposed 
to  be  cannibals  by  nature,  these  people,  from 
the  difficulty  they,  at  times,  experience  in 
procuring  food,  might  be  liable  to  that  impu- 
tation. But,  in  all  my  knowledge  of  them, 
I  never  was  acquainted  with  one  instance  of 
that  disposition ;  nor  among  all  the  natives 
which  I  met  with  in  a  route  of  five  thousand 
miles,  did  I  see  or  hear  of  an  example  of 
cannibalism,  but  such  as  arose  from  that  ir- 
resistible necessity,  which  has  been  known  to 
impel  even  the  most  civilised  people  to  eat 
each  other. 


Example  of  the  Chepewyan  Tongue. 

Man  Diuuie. 

Woman  Chequois. 

Young  man  Quolafiuis. 

Young  woman  Quelaquis  chequoi. 

]\Iy  son  Zi  azay. 

My  daughter  Zi  lengai. 

:My  husband  Zi  dinnie. 

My  wife  Zi  zayunai. 

My  brother  Zi  raing. 

My  father  Zi  tah. 

My  mother  Zi  nah. 

My  grandfather  Zi  unai. 

Me,  or  my  !^fe. 
clxxxvii 


A  GENERAL   HISTORY 


I 

Ne. 

You 

Nun. 

They 

Be. 

Head 

Edthie. 

Hand 

Law. 

Leg 

Ed  then. 

Foot 

Cuh. 

Eyes 

Nackhay. 

Teeth 

Goo. 

Side 

Kuc  hey. 

Belly 

Bitt. 

Tongue 

Edthu. 

Hail- 

Tliiegah. 

Back 

Losseli. 

Blood 

Dell. 

The  Knee 

Cha-g'.itt. 

Clothes  or  Blanket 

Etlunay, 

Coat 

Eeh. 

Leggin 

Thell. 

Shoes 

Kinchee. 

Robe  or  Blanket 

Thuth. 

Sleeves 

Bah. 

Mittens 

Geese. 

Cap 

Sah. 

Swan 

Kagouce. 

Duck 

Keth. 

Goose 

Gah. 

White  partridge 

Cass  bah. 

Grey  partridge 

Deyee. 

Buflfalo 

Giddy. 

Moose  deer 

Dinyai. 

Rein  deer 

Edthun. 

Beaver 

Zah. 

Bear 

Zass. 

Otter 

Gabyai. 

Martin 

Thaii. 

Wolverine 

Naguiyai. 

clxxxviii 

OF  THE   FUR  TRADE,  «S:c. 


Wolf 

Yess  (Nouhoay). 

Fox 

Naguethey. 

Hare 

Cah. 

Dog 

Sliengh. 

Beaver-skin 

Zah  thah. 

Otter-skin 

Naby-ai  thith. 

Moose-skin 

Deny-ai  thith. 

Fat 

Icah. 

Grease 

Thless. 

Meat 

Bid. 

Pike 

Uldiah. 

White-fish 

Slouey. 

Trout 

Slouey  zinai. 

Pickerel 

G'Gah. 

Fish-hook 

Ge-eth. 

Fish -line 

Clulez. 

One 

Slachy. 

Two 

Naghur. 

Three 

Tagh-y. 

Four 

Dengk-y. 

Five 

Sasoulachee. 

Six 

Alki  tar-hy-y. 

Seven 

Eight 

Alki  deing-hy. 

Nine 

Cakina  hanoth-na. 

Ten 

Ca  noth  na. 

Twenty- 

Na  ghur  cha  noth  na. 

Fire 

Counn. 

Water 

Toue. 

Wood 

Dethkin. 

Ice 

Thun. 

Snow 

Yath. 

Rain 

Thinnelsee, 

Lake 

Touey. 

River 

Tesse. 

Mountain 

Zeth. 

Stone 

Thaih. 

clxxxix 


A   GENERAL   HISTORY 


Berries 

Gui  eh. 

Hot 

Edowh. 

Cold 

Edzah. 

Island 

Nouey. 

Gun 

Telkithy. 

Powder 

Telkitliy  counna. 

Knife 

Bess. 

Axe 

Thynlc. 

Sue 

Moon 

Sah. 

Red 

Deli  couse. 

Black 

Dell  zin. 

Trade,  or  barter 

Na-houn-ny. 

Good 

Leyzong. 

Not  good 

Leyzong  houUey. 

Stinking 

Geddey. 

Bad,  ugly 

Sliene3\ 

Long  since 

Galladiuua. 

Now,  to-day 

Ganneh. 

To-morrow 

Gambeh. 

By-and-bye,  or  presently  GarahouUeh. 

House,  or  lodge 

Cooen. 

Canoe 

Siialuzee. 

Door 

The  0  ball. 

Leather-lodge 

N'abalay. 

Chief 

Buchahudry. 

Mine 

Zidzy. 

His 

Bedzj^ 

Yours 

Nuntzy. 

Large 

Unshaw. 

Small,  or  little 

Chautah. 

I  love  you 

Ba  eioinichdinh. 

I  hate  you 

Bucuoiuichadinh  hillay, 

I  am  to  be  pitied 

Est-chounest-hinay. 

My  relation 

Sy  lod,  innay. 

Give  me  water 

Too  hanniltu. 

Give  me  meat 

Beds-hanuiltu, 

CXC 

OF  THE  FUR  TRADE,  &c. 


Give  me  fish 

Give  me  meat  to  eat 

Give  me  water  to  drink 

It  is  far  off 

Is  it  not  far 

It  is  near 

How  many 

What   call   you   him,  or 

that 
Come  here 
Pain,  or  suffering 
It's  hard 
You  lie 
AVhat  then 


Sloeeh  anneltu. 
Bid  Barheether. 
To  Barhithen. 
Netha  uzany. 
Nilduay  uzany. 
Nitha  hillai. 
Nilduay. 

Etlaneldey. 
Etla  houllia. 
Yeu  dessay. 
I-yah. 
Untzee. 
Eldaw-gueh. 


cxci 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE,  &c. 


CHAPTER   I. 


JUNE,  1789. 

Wednesday,  3. — We  embarked  at  nine  in 
the  morning,  at  Fort  Chepewyan,  on  the 
South  side  of  the  Lake  of  the  Hills,  in  lati- 
tude 68.  40.  North,  and  longitude  110  30. 
"West  from  Greenwich,  and  compass  has  six- 
teen degrees  variation  East,  in  a  canoe  made 
of  birch  bark.  The  crew  consisted  of  four 
Canadians,  two  of  whom  were  attended  by 
their  wives,  and  a  German ;  we  were  accom- 
panied also  by  an  Indian,  who  had  acquired 
the  title  of  English  Chief,  and  his  two  wives, 
in  a  small  canoe,  with  two  young  Indians; 
his  followers  in  another  small  canoe.  These 
men  were  engaged  to  serve  us  in  the  twofold 
capacity  of  interpreters  and  hunters.  This 
chief  has  been  a  principal  leader  of  his  coun- 
trymen who  were  in  the  habit  of  carrying 
furs  to  Churchill  Factory,  Hudson's  Bay,  and 
till  of  late  very  much  attached  to  the  interest 
of  that  company.  These  circumstances  pro- 
cured  him   the    appellation   of   the  English 

Chief. 

13  193 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

We  were  also  accompanied  by  a  canoe  that 
I  had  equipped  for  the  purpose  of  trade,  and 
given  the  charge  of  it  to  M.  Le  Eoux,  one  of 
the  Company's  clerks.  In  this  I  was  obliged 
to  ship  part  of  our  provision ;  which,  with 
the  clothing  necessary  for  us  on  the  voyage, 
a  proper  assortment  of  the  articles  of  mer- 
chandise as  presents,  to  ensure  us  a  friendly 
reception  among  the  Indians,  and  the  animu- 
nition  and  arms  requisite  for  defence,  as  well 
as  a  supply  for  our  hunters,  wore  more  than 
our  own  canoe  could  carry,  but  by  the  time 
we  should  part  company,  there  was  every 
reason  to  suppose  that  our  expenditure  would 
make  sufficient  room  for  the  whole. 

We  proceeded  twenty-one  miles  to  the 
West,  and  then  took  a  course  of  nine  miles 
to  North-North-West,  when  we  entered  the 
river,  or  one  of  the  branches  of  the  lake,  of 
which  there  are  several.  We  then  steered 
North  five  miles,  when  our  course  changed  for 
two  miles  to  North-North-East,  and  here  at 
seven  in  the  evening  we  landed  and  pitched 
our  tents.  One  of  the  hunters  killed  a  goose, 
and  a  couple  of  ducks :  at  the  same  time  the 
canoe  was  taken  out  of  the  water,  to  be 
gummed,  which  necessary  business  was  effec- 
tually performed. 

Thursday,  4- — We  embarked  at  four  this 
morning,  and  proceeded  North-North-East 
half  a  mile,  North  one  mile  and  a  half,  West 
194 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

two  miles,  North-West  two  miles,  West- 
North- West  one  mile  and  a  half,  North- 
North-West  half  a  mile,  and  West-North- 
West  two  miles,  when  this  branch  loses  itself 
in  the  Peace  River.  It  is  remarkable,  that 
the  currents  of  these  various  branches  of  the 
lake,  Avhen  the  Peace  River  is  high,  as  in  May 
and  August,  run  into  the  lake,  which,  in  the 
other  months  of  the  year  returns  its  waters 
to  them ;  whence,  to  this  place,  the  branch  is 
not  more  than  two  hundred  yards  wide,  nor 
less  than  an  hundred  and  twenty.  The  banks 
are  rather  low,  except  in  one  place,  where  an 
huge  rock  rises  above  them.  The  low  land  is 
covered  with  wood,  such  as  white  birch,  pines 
of  different  kinds,  with  the  poplai',  tliree  kinds 
of  willow,  and  the  liard. 

The  Peace  River  is  upwards  of  a  uiile  broad 
at  this  spot,  and  its  current  is  stronger  than 
that  of  the  channel  Avhich  communicates  with 
the  lake.  It  here,  indeed,  assumes  the  name 
of  the  Slave  River.*  The  course  of  this  day 
was  as  follows  : — North- West  two  miles, 
North-North-West,  through  islands, six  miles, 
Noi-th  four  miles  and  a  half,  North  by  East 

*The  Sliive  luilians,  liaviug  been  driven  from 
their  original  country  by  their  enemies,  the  Kuistc- 
neaiix,  ak)ng  the  borders  of  tliis  part  of  the  river,  it 
received  that  title,  tliough  it  by  no  means  involves 
the  idea  of  servitude,  but  was  given  to  these  fugi- 
tives as  a  term  of  reproach,  that  denoted  more  than 
coniuion  savageuess. 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIROUGII  THE 

two  miles,  West  by  North  six  miles,  North 
one  mile,  North-East  by  East  two  miles. 
North  one  mile.  We  now  descended  a  rapid, 
and  proceeded  North- West  seven  miles  and  a 
half.  North- West  nine  miles.  North  by  West 
six  miles,  Nortli-West  by  West  one  mile  and 
a  half,  North-West  by  Nortli  half  a  mile, 
North-North-West  six  miles.  North  one  mile, 
North-West  by  West  four  miles,  North- 
North-East  one  mile.  Here  we  arrived  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Dog  River,  Avhere  we  landed, 
and  unloaded  our  canoes,  at  half  ])ast  seven 
in  the  evening,  on  the  East  side,  and  close  by 
the  rapids.  At  this  station  the  river  is  near 
two  leagues  in  breadth. 

Fridaij,  5. — At  three  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing we  embarked,  but  unloaded  our  canoes  at 
the  first  rapid.  When  Ave  had  reloaded,  we 
entered  a  small  channel,  which  is  formed  by 
the  islands,  and,  in  about  half  an  hour,  Ave 
came  to  the  carrying-place  It  is  three  hun- 
dred and  eighty  paces  in  length,  and  very 
commodious,  except  at  the  further  end  of  it. 
We  found  some  difficulty  in  reloading  at  this 
spot,  from  the  large  quantity  of  ice  which 
had  not  yet  thawed.  From  hence  to  the  next 
carrying-place,  called  the  Portage  cV Etnhar- 
ras,  is  about  six  miles,  and  is  occasioned  by 
the  drift  wood  filling  up  the  small  channel, 
which  is  one  thousand  and  twenty  paces  in 
length;  from  hence  to  the  next  is  one  mile 
196 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OP  AMERICA. 

and  a  half,  while  the  distance  to  that  -which 
succeeds,  does  not  exceed  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards.  It  is  about  tlie  same  length  as 
the  last;  and  from  hence  to  the  cai'rying- 
place  called  the  Mountain,  is  about  four  miles 
further;  when  we  entered  the  great  river. 
The  snuiller  one,  or  the  channel,  affords  by 
far  the  best  passage,  as  it  is  without  hazard 
of  any  kind;  though  T  believe  a  shorter 
course  would  be  found  on  the  outside  of  the 
islands,  and  without  so  many  carrying-places. 
That  called  the  Mountain  is  three  hundred 
and  thirty-five  paces  in  length;  from  thence 
to  tlie  next,  named  the  Pelican,  there  is  about 
a  mile  of  dangerous  rapids.  The  landing  is 
very  steep,  and  close  to  the  fall.  The  length 
of  this  carrying-place  is  eight  hundred  and 
twenty  paces 

The  whole  of  the  party  were  now  employed 
in  taking  the  baggage  and  the  canoe  up  the 
hill  One  of  the  Indian  canoes  went  down 
the  fall,  and  was  dashed  to  pieces.  The 
woman  who  had  the  management  of  it,  by 
quitting  it  in  time,  preserved  her  life,  though 
she  lost  the  little  property  it  contained. 

The  course  from  the  place  we  quitted  in  the 
morning  is  about  North-West,  and  compre- 
hends a  distance  of  fifteen  miles.  From  hence 
to  the  next  and  last  carrying-place,  is  about 
nine  miles ;  in  which  distance  there  are  three 
rapids:  course  Nortli-West  by  West  The 
197 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYArTE  THROrOH  THE 

carrying  })atli  is  very  bail,  and  live  luiiulred 
and  thirty-five  paces  in  lengtli.  Our  canoes 
being  lightened,  ])assed  on  the  outsi(h'  of  the 
opposite  ishmd,  which  rendered  tlie  carrying 
of  the  baggage  very  sliort  indeed,  being  not 
more  tlian  the  lengtli  of  a  canoe.  In  the 
year  178(1,  five  men  were  drowned,  and  two 
canoes  and  some  packages  lost,  in  the  rapids 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  wliich  occa- 
sioned this  place  to  be  called  the  Povtuge  des 
Noyes.  They  were  proceeding  to  the  Slave 
Lake,  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  under  the  di- 
rection of  Mr.  Cuthbert  Grant.  We  pro- 
ceeded from  hence  six  miles,  and  encamped 
on  Point  de  Koche,  at  half  past  five  in  the 
afternoon.  The  men  and  Indians  were  very 
much  fatigued ;  but  the  hunters  had  provided 
seven  geese,  a  beaver,  and  four  ducks. 

S'(t>ifd(ii/,  6. — We  embarked  at  half  past 
two  in  the  morning,  and  steered  North-West 
by  North  twenty-one  miles,  North-West  by 
West  five  miles,  West-North-AVest  four  miles. 
West  six  miles,  doubled  a  ])oint  North- 
North-East  one  mile.  East  five  miles,  North 
two  miles,  North-West  by  North  one  mile 
and  a  half,  West-North-West  three  miles, 
North-East  by  East  two  miles;  doubled  a 
point  one  mile  and  a  half.  West  by  North 
nine  miles,  North-West  by  West  six  miles^ 
North -North-West  five  miles;  here  we  landed 
at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  unloaded,  and 
198 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  xVMERICA. 

encamped.  Nets  were  also  set  in  a  small  ad- 
jacent riv^er.  We  had  an  head  wind  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  day  and  the  weather 
was  become  so  cold  that  the  Indians  were 
obliged  to  make  use  of  their  mittens.  In  this 
day's  progress  we  killed  seven  geese  and  six 
ducks. 

Sunday,  7. — At  half  past  three  we  renewed 
our  voyage,  and  proceeded  West-North-West 
one  mile,  round  an  island  one  mile,  North- 
West  two  miles  and  a  half,  South  by  West 
three  miles,  West-South- West  one  mile, 
South- West  by  South  half  a  mile,  North- 
West  three  miles,  West-North-West  three 
miles  and  a  half.  North  seven  miles  and  a 
half,  North- West  by  i^orth  four  miles,  North 
two  miles  and  a  half.  North- West  by  North 
two  miles.  The  rain,  which  had  prevailed 
for  some  time,  now  came  on  Avith  such  vio- 
lence, that  we  were  obliged  to  land  and  un- 
load, to  prevent  the  goods  and  baggage  from 
getting  wet;  the  weather,  however,  soon 
cleared  up,  so  that  we  reloaded  the  canoe, 
and  got  under  way.  We  now  continued  our 
course  North  ten  miles,  West  one  mile  and  a 
half,  and  North  one  mile  and  a  half,  when 
the  rain  came  on  again,  and  rendered  it  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  us  to  get  on  shore  for  the 
night,  at  about  half  past  three.  We  had  a 
strong  North-North-East  wind  throughout 
the  day,  which  greatly  impeded  us;  M.  Le 
199 


JOURNAL  OP  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

Roux,  however,  with  his  part}^,  passed  on  in 
search  of  a  lauding  place  more  agreeable  to 
them.  The  Indians  killed  a  couple  of  gei^se, 
and  as  many  ducks.  The  rain  continued 
through  the  remaining  part  of  the  day. 

Monday,  8. — The  night  was  very  boister- 
ous, and  the  rain  did  not  cease  till  two  in  the 
afternoon  of  this  day ;  but  as  the  wind  did 
not  abate  of  its  violence,  we  were  prevented 
from  proceeding  till  the  morrow. 

Tuesday,  9. — We  embarked  at  half  past 
two  in  the  morning,  the  weather  being  calm 
and  foggy.  Soon  after  our  two  young  men 
joined  us,  whom  we  had  not  seen  for  two 
days ;  but  during  their  absence  they  had  killed 
four  beavers  and  ten  geese.  After  a  course 
of  one  mile  North- West  by  North,  we  ob- 
served an  opening  on  the  right,  which  we  took 
for  a  fork  of  the  river,  but  it  proved  to  be  a 
lake.  We  returned  and  steered  South-West 
by  West  one  mile  and  a  half.  West- South- 
West  one  mile  and  a  half,  West  one  mile, 
when  we  entered  a  very  small  branch  of  the 
river  on  the  East  bank;  at  the  mouth  of 
which  I  was  informed  there  had  been  a  carry- 
ing-place, owing  to  the  quantity  of  drift 
wood,  which  then  filled  up  the  passage,  but 
has  since  been  carried  away.  The  course  of 
this  river  is  meandering,  and  tends  to  the 
North,  and  in  about  ten  miles  falls  into  the 
Slave  Lake,  where  we  arrived  at  nine  in  the 
200 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

moniiug,  when  we  found  a  great  change  in 
the  weather,  as  it  was  become  extremely  cold. 
The  lake  was  entirely  covered  with  ice,  and 
did  not  seem  in  any  degree  to  have  given 
way,  but  near  the  shore.  The  gnats  and 
mosquitoes,  which  were  very  troublesome 
during  our  passage  along  the  river,  did  not 
venture  to  accompany  us  to  this  colder  region. 

The  banks  of  the  river  both  above  and  be- 
low the  rapids,  were  on  both  sides  covered 
with  the  various  kinds  of  wood  common  to 
this  country,  particularly  the  Western  side ; 
the  land  being  lower  and  consisting  of  a  rich 
black  soil.  This  artificial  ground  is  carried 
down  by  the  stream,  and  rests  upon  drift 
wood,  so  as  to  be  eight  or  ten  feet  deep. 
The  eastern  banks  are  more  elevated,  and  the 
soil  a  yellow  clay  mixed  with  gravel ;  so  that 
the  trees  are  neither  so  large  or  numerous  as 
on  the  opposite  shore.  The  ground  was  not 
thawed  above  fourteen  inches  in  depth ;  not- 
withstanding the  leaf  was  at  its  full  growth ; 
while  along  the  lake  there  was  scarcely  any 
appearance  of  verdure. 

The  Indians  informed  me,  that,  at  a  very 
small  distance  from  either  bank  of  the  river, 
are  very  extensive  plains,  frequented  by  large 
herds  of  buffaloes ;  while  the  moose  and  rein- 
deer keep  In  the  woods  that  laorder  on  it. 
The  beaveis,  whicli  are  in  great  luimbers, 
build  their  habitations  in  the  small  lakes  and 
201 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

rivers,  as,  in  tlie  larger  streams,  the  ice  car- 
ries every  tiling  along  with  it,  during  the 
spring.  The  mud-banks  in  the  river  are  cov- 
ered with  wild  fowl ;  and  we  this  morning 
killed  two  swans,  ten  geese,  and  one  beaver, 
without  suffering  the  delay  of  an  hour;  so 
that  we  might  have  soon  filled  the  canoe  with 
them,  if  that  hatl  been  our  object. 

From  the  small  river  we  steered  East, 
along  the  inside  of  a  long  sand-bank,  covered 
with  drift  wood  and  enlivened  by  a  few  wil- 
lows, which  stretches  on  as  far  as  the  houses 
erected  by  Messrs.  Grant  and  Le  Roux,  in 
1786.  We  often  ran  aground,  as  for  five 
successive  miles  the  depth  of  the  water  no- 
where exceeded  three  feet.  There  we  found 
our  people,  who  had  arrived  early  in  the 
morning,  and  whom  we  had  not  seen  since  the 
preceding  Sunday.  We  now  unloaded  the 
canoe,  and  pitched  our  tents,  as  there  was 
every  appearance  that  we  should  be  obliged 
to  remain  here  for  some  time.  I  then  ordered 
the  nets  to  be -set,  as  it  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary that  the  stores  provided  for  our  future 
voyage  should  remain  untouched.  The  fish 
we  now  caught  were  carp,  poisson  inconnu, 
white  fish,  and  trout. 

Jf'ednt'sdai/,  10. — It  rained  during  the  great- 
est part  of  the  preceding  night,  and  the 
weather  did  not  clear  up  till  the  afternoon  of 
this  day.  This  circumstance  had  very  much 
202 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINEXT  OF  AMERICA. 

Aveakened  the  ice,  and  I  sent  two  of  the  In- 
dians on  an  hunting  party  to  a  lake  at  the 
distance  of  nine  miles,  which,  they  informed 
me,  was  frequented  by  animals  of  various 
kinds.  Our  fishexy  this  day  was  not  so 
abundant  as  it  had  been  on  the  preceding 
afternoon. 

Thursday,  11. — The  weather  was  fine  and 
clear  with  a  strong  westerly  wind.  The 
women  were  employed  in  gathering  berries  of 
different  sorts,  of  which  there  are  a  great 
plenty ;  and  I  accompanied  one  of  my  people 
to  a  small  adjacent  island,  where  we  picked 
up  some  dozens  of  swan,  geese,  and  duck- 
eggs  ;  we  also  killed  a  couple  of  ducks  and  a 
goose. 

In  the  evening  the  Indians  returned,  with- 
out having  see  any  of  the  larger  animals.  A 
swan  and  a  grey  crane  were  the  only  fruits  of 
their  expedition.  We  caught  no  other  fish 
but  a  small  quantity  of  pike,  which  is  too 
common  to  be  a  favourite  food  with  the  peo- 
ple of  the  country.  The  ice  moved  a  little  to 
the  eastward. 

Friday,  12. — The  weather  continued  the 
same  as  yesterday,  and  the  mosquitoes  began 
to  visit  us  in  great  numbers.  The  ice  moved 
again  in  the  same  direction,  and  I  ascended 
an  hill,  but  could  not  perceive  that  it  was 
broken  in  the  middle  of  the  lake.  The  hunt- 
ers killed  a  goose  and  three  ducks. 
20;  5 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIROrOII  THE 

Suturdiu/,  13. — Tlie  weatlier  was  cloudy, 
and  the  wind  changeable  till  abont  sunset, 
when  it  settled  in  the  North.  It  drove  back 
the  ice  which  was  now  very  much  broken 
along  the  shore,  and  covered  our  nets.  One 
of  the  hunters  who  had  been  at  the  Slave 
River  the  preceding  evening,  returned  with 
three  beavers  and  fourteen  geese.  He  was 
accompanied  by  three  families  of  Indians, 
who  left  Athabasca  the  same  day  as  myself: 
they  did  not  bring  me  any  fowl ;  and  they 
pleaded  in  excuse,  that  they  had  travelled 
with  so  mucli  expedition,  as  to  prevent  them 
from  procuring  sufficient  provisions  for  them- 
selves. By  a  meridian  line,  I  found  the 
variation  of  the  compass  to  be  about  twenty 
degrees  East. 

Sunday,  H. — The  weather  was  clear  and 
the  wind  remained  in  the  same  quarter.  The 
ice  was  much  broken,  and  driven  to  the  side 
of  the  lake,  so  that  we  were  apprehensive  for 
the  loss  of  our  nets,  as  they  could  not,  at 
present,  be  extricated.  At  sunset  there  was 
an  appearance  of  a  violent  gust  of  wind 
from  the  southward,  as  the  sky  became  on  a 
sudden,  in  that  quarter,  of  a  very  dusky  blue 
colour,  and  the  lightning  was  very  frequent.^ 
But  instead  of  wind  there  came  on  a  very 
heavy  rain,  which  ]n-omised  to  diminish  the 
quantity  of  broken  ice. 

Monday,  15.— In  the  morning,  the  bay  still 
204 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

continued  to  be  so  full  of  ice,  that  avb  could 
not  get  at  our  nets.  About  noon,  the  wind 
veered  to  the  Westward,  and  not  only  uncov- 
ered the  nets,  but  cleared  a  passage  to  the 
opposite  islands.  "When  we  raised  the  nets 
we  found  them  very  much  shattered,  and  but 
few  lish  taken.  We  now  struck  our  tents, 
and  embarked  at  sunset,  when  we  made  the 
traverse,  which  was  about  eight  miles  North- 
East  by  North,  in  about  two  hours.  At  half- 
past  eleven  P.  M.  we  landed  on  a  small 
island  and  proceed  to  gum  the  canoe.  At 
this  time  the  atmosphere  was  sufficiently 
clear  to  admit  of  reading  or  writing  without 
the  aid  of  artificial  light.  We  had  not  seen 
a  star  since  the  second  day  after  we  left 
Athabasca.  About  twelve  o'clock,  the  moon 
made  its  appearance  above  the  tops  of  the 
trees,  the  lower  horn  being  in  a  state  of 
eclipse,  which  continued  for  about  six  min- 
utes, in  a  cloudless  sky. 

I  took  soundings  three  times  in  the  course 
of  the  traverse,  when  I  found  six  fathoms 
water,  with  a  muddy  bottom. 

Tuesday,  16. — We  were  prevented  from 
embarking  this  morning  by  a  very  strong 
wind  from  the  North,  and  the  vast  quantity 
of  floating  ice.  Some  trout  were  caught  with 
the  hook  and  line,  but  the  net  was  not  so 
successful.  I  had  an  observation  which  gave 
61.  28.  North  latitude. 
205 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

The  wind  becoming  moderate,  we  embarked 
about  one,  taking  a  North-West  course, 
througli  islands  of  ten  niiles,  in  which  we 
took  in  a  considerable  quantity  of  water 
After  making  several  traverses,  we  landed  at 
five  r.  M  ,  and  having  pitched  our  tents,  the 
hooks,  lines,  and  nets  were  immediately  set. 
During  the  course  of  the  day  there  was  occa- 
sional thunder. 

Wednesday,  17. — We  proceeded,  and  tak- 
ing up  our  nets  as  we  passed,  we  found  no 
more  than  seventeen  fish,  and  were  stopped 
within  a  mile  by  the  ice.  The  Indians,  how- 
ever, brought  us  back  to  a  point  where  our 
fishery  was  very  successful.  They  proceeded 
also  on  a  hunting  party,  as  well  as  to  dis- 
cover a  passage  among  tlie  islands;  but  at 
three  in  the  afternoon  they  returned  without 
having  succeeded  in  either  object.  We 
were,  however,  in  expectation,  that,  as  the 
wind  blew  very  strong,  it  would  force  a 
passage.  About  sunset,  the  weather  be- 
came overcast,  with  thunder,  lightning,  and 
rain . 

Thursday,  18. — The  nets  were  taken  up  at 
four  this  morning  with  abundance  of  fish,  and 
we  steered  North- West  four  miles,  where  the 
ice  again  prevented  our  progress.  A  South- 
East  wind  drove  it  among  the  islands,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  impede  our  passage,  and 
we  could  perceive  at  some  distance  ahead, 
20G 


NORTHWEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA 

that  it  was  but  little  broken.  We  now  set 
our  nets  in  four  fathom  water.  Two  of  our 
hunters  had  killed  a  rein-deer  and  its  fawn 
They  had  met  with  two  Indian  families,  and 
in  the  evening,  a  man  belonging  to  one  of 
them,  paid  us  a  visit ;  he  informed  me,  that 
the  ice  had  not  stirred  on  the  side  of  the 
island  opposite  to  us.  These  people  live/ 
entirely  on  fish,  and  were  waiting  to  crosg- 
the  lake  as  soon  as  it  should  be  clear  of 
ice. 

Friday,  19. — This  morning  our  nets  were 
unproductive,  as  they  yielded  us  no  more 
than  six  fish,  which  were  of  a  very  bad  kind. 
In  the  forenoon,  the  Indians  proceeded  to  the 
large  island  opposite  to  us,  in  search  of  game. 
The  weather  was  cloudy,  and  the  wind 
changeable ;  at  the  same  time,  we  were  pes- 
tered by  mosquitoes,  though,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, surrounded  with  ice. 

Saturday,  20. — We  took  up  our  nets,  but 
without  any  fish.  It  rained  very  hard  during 
the  night  and  this  morning:  nevertheless,  M. 
Le  Roux  and  his  people  went  back  to  the 
point  which  we  had  quitted  on  the  18th,  but 
I  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  move  As  I  was 
watching  for  a  passage  through  the  ice,  I 
promised  to  send  for  them  when  I  could  ob- 
tain it.  It  rained  at  intervals  till  about  five 
o'clock;  when  we  loaded  our  canoe,  and 
steered  for  the  large  island,  West  six  miles 
207 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

When  we  came  to  the  point  of  it,  we  found  a 
great  quantity  of  ice ;  we,  however,  set  our 
nets,  and  soon  caught  plenty  of  lish.  In  our 
way  thither  we  met  our  hunters,  but  they 
had  taken  nothing.  I  took  soundings  at  an 
luiudred  yards  from  the  ishind,  when  we  were 
in  twenty-one  fathom  water.  Here  we  found 
abiindance  of  cran])erries  and  small  spring 
onions.  I  now  despatched  two  men  for  M. 
Le  Roux,  and  his  people. 

Sufidaij,  21. — A  Southerly  wind  blew 
through  the  night,  and  drove  the  ice  to  the 
Northward.  The  two  men  whom  I  had  sent 
to  M.  Le  Roux,  returned  at  eight  this  morn- 
ing ;  they  parted  with  him  at  a  small  distance 
from  us,  but  the  wind  blew  so  hard,  that  he 
was  obliged  to  put  to  shore.  Having  a 
glimpse  of  the  sun,  when  it  was  twelve  by 
my  watch,  I  found  the  latitude  61.  34. 
North  latitude.  At  two  in  the  afternoon,  M. 
Le  E.0UX  and  his  people  arrived.  At  five, 
the  ice  being  almost  all  driven  past  to  the 
Northward,  we  accordingly  embarked,  and 
steered  West  fifteen  miles,  through  much 
broken  ice,  and  on  the  outside  of  the  islands, 
though  it  appeared  to  be  very  solid  to  the 
North-East.  I  sounded  three  times  in  this 
distance,  and  found  it  seventy-five,  forty-four, 
and  sixty  fathom  water.  We  pitched  our 
tents  on  one  of  a  cluster  of  small  islands  that 
were  within  three  miles  of  the  main  land, 
208 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

which  Ave  could  not  reach  in  consequence  of 
the  ice. 

We  saw  some  rein-deer  on  one  of  these 
islands,  and  our  hunters  went  in  pursuit  of 
them,  when  they  killed  five  large  and  two 
small  ones,  which  was  easily  accomplished, 
as  the  animals  had  no  shelter  to  which  they 
could  run  for  protection.  They  had,  without 
doubt,  crossed  the  ice  to  this  spot,  and  the 
thaw  coming  on  had  detained  them  there, 
and  made  them  an  easy  prey  to  the  pursuer. 
This  island  was  accordingly  named  Isle  de 
Carreboeuf. 

I  sat  up  the  whole  of  this  night  to  observe 
the  setting  and  rising  of  the  sun.  That  orb 
Avas  beneath  the  horizon  four  hours  twenty- 
two  minutes,  and  rose  North  20.  East  by 
compass.  It,  however,  froze  so  hard,  that, 
during  the  sun's  disappearance,  the  water 
was  covered  Avith  ice  half  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  thick. 

Monday,  22. — TVe  embarked  at  half  past 
three  in  the  morning,  and  rounding  the  out- 
side of  the  islands,  steered  North- West  thir- 
teen miles  along  the  ice,  edging  in  for  the 
main  land,  the  wind  West,  then  West  two 
miles ;  but  it  bleAV  so  hard  as  to  oblige  us  to 
land  on  an  island  at  half  past  nine,  from 
Avhence  Ave  could  just  distinguish  land  to  the 
South-East,  at  the  distance  of  about  twelve 
leagues;  though  Ave  could  not  determine 
14  209 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

whether  it  was  a  continuation  of  the  islands, 
or  the  shores  of  tlie  lake.*  I  took  an  observ. 
ation  at  noon,  which  gave  me  61.  53.  North, 
the  variation  of  the  compass  being,  at  the 
same  time,  about  two  points.  M.  Le  Koux's 
people  having  provided  two  bags  of  pem- 
mican-\  to  be  left  in  the  island  against  their 
return ;  it  was  called  Isle  a  la  Cache. 

The  wind  being  moderated,  we  proceeded 
again  at  half  past  two  in  the  afternoon,  and 
steering  West  by  North  among  the  islands, 
made  a  course  of  eighteen  miles.  We  en- 
camped at  eight  o'clock  on  a  small  island, 
and  since  eight  in  the  morning  had  not  passed 
any  ice.  Though  the  weather  was  far  from 
being  warm,  Ave  Avere  tormented,  and  our  rest 
interrupted,  by  the  host  of  mosquitoes  that 
accompanied  us. 

*  Sometimes  the  land  looms,  so  that  there  may  be 
a  great  deception  as  to  the  distance ;  and  I  think  this 
was  the  case  at  present. 

f  Flesh  dried  in  the  sun,  and  afterwards  pounded 
for  the  convenience  of  carriage. 


210 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER   II. 

JUNE,  1789. 

Tuesday,  23. — Towards  morning,  the  In- 
dians who  had  not  been  able  to  keep  up  with 
us  the  preceding  day,  now  joined  us,  and 
brought  two  swans  and  a  goose.  At  half  past 
three  we  re-embarked,  and  steering  West  by 
Xorth  a  mile  and  an  half,  with  a  Northerly 
wind,  we  came  to  the  foot  of  a  traverse  across 
a  deep  bay.  West  five  miles,  which  receives  a 
considerable  river  at  the  bottom  of  it;  the 
distance  about  twelve  miles.  The  North- 
West  side  of  the  bay  was  covered  with  many 
small  islands  that  were  surrounded  with  ice  ; 
but  the  wind  driving  it  a  little  off  the  land, 
we  had  a  clear  passage  on  the  inside  of  them. 
We  steered  South- West  nine  miles  under  sail, 
then  North-West  nearly,  through  the  islands, 
forming  a  course  of  sixteen  miles.  We  landed 
on  the  main  land  at  half  past  two  in  the  aft- 
ernoon at  three  lodges  of  Red-Knife  Indians, 
so  called  from  their  copper  knives.  They 
informed  us,  that  there  were  many  inore 
lodges  of  their  friends  at  no  great  distance ; 
and  one  of  the  Indians  set  off  to  fetch  them : 
they  also  said,  that  we  should  see  no  more  of 
them  at  present  5  as  the  Slave  and  Beaver  In- 
2H 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VO\AGE  THROUGH  THE 

diaiis,  as  well  as  others  of  the  tri))e,  would 
not  be  here  till  the  time  that  the  swans  oast 
their  feathers.  In  the  afternoon  it  rained  a 
torrent. 

Wednesdajj,  2Jf. — M.  Le  Roux  purchased 
of  these  Indians  upwards  of  eight  packs  of 
good  beaver  and  marten  skins;  and  there 
were  not  above  twelve  of  them  qualified  to 
kill  beaver.  The  English  chief  got  upwards 
of  an  hundred  skins  on  the  score  of  debts  due 
to  him,  of  which  he  had  many  outstanding 
in  this  country.  Forty  of  them  he  gave  on 
account  of  debts  due  by  him  since  the  winters 
of  1786  and  1787,  at  the  Slave  Lake;  the 
rest  he  exchanged  for  rum  and  other  neces- 
sary articles ;  and  I  added  a  small  quantity 
of  that  liquor  as  an  encouraging  present  to 
him  and  his  young  men.  I  had  several  con- 
sultations with  these  Copper  Indian  people, 
but  could  obtain  no  information  that  was  ma- 
terial to  our  expedition ;  nor  were  they  ac- 
quainted with  any  part  of  the  river,  which 
was  the  object  of  my  research,  but  the  mouth 
of  it.  In  order  to  save  as  much  time  as  pos- 
sible in  circumnavigating  the  bays,  I  engaged 
one  of  the  Indians  to  conduct  us ;  and  I  ac- 
cordingly equipped  him  Avith  various  articles 
of  clothing,  etc.  I  also  purchased  a  large 
new  canoe,  that  he  might  embark  with  the 
two  young  Indians  in  my  service. 

This  day,  at  noon,  I  took  an  observation, 

91 '> 

wJ-w 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

which  gave  me  G2.  24.  North  latitude; 
the  variation  of  the  compass  being  about 
twenty-six  or  twenty-seven  degrees  to  the 
East. 

In  the  afternoon  I  assembled  the  Indians, 
in  order  to  inform  them  that  I  should  take 
my  departure  on  the  following  day ;  but  that 
people  would  remain  on  the  spot  till  their 
countrymen,  whom  they  had  mentioned, 
should  arrive ;  and  that,  if  they  brought  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  skins  to  make  it  answer, 
the  Canadians  would  return  for  more  goods, 
with  a  view  to  winter  here,  and  build  a  fort,* 
which  would  be  continued  as  long  as  they 
should  be  found  to  deserve  it.  They  assured 
me  that  it  would  be  a  great  encouragement  to 
them  to  have  a  settlement  of  ours  in  their 
country;  and  that  they  should  exert  them- 
selves to  the  utmost  to  kill  beaver,  as  they 
would  then  be  certain  of  getting  an  adequate 
value  for  them.  Hitherto,  they  said,  the 
Chepewyans  always  pillaged  them;  or,  at 
most,  gave  little  or  nothing  for  the  fruits  of 
their  labour,  which  had  greatly  discouraged 
them;  and  that,  in  consequence  of  this  treat- 
ment, they  had  no  motive  to  pursue  the 
beaver,  but  to  obtain  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
food  and  raiment. 

I  now  wrote  to  Messrs.  Macleod  and  Mac- 

*F()rt  is  the  name  given  to  any  establisliment  in 
this  country. 

213 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

keuzie,    and    addi-essed    my    i)apers    to   the 
former,  at  Athabasca. 

Tlinrsdaij,  25. — We  left  this  place  at  three 
this  morning,  our  canoe  being  deeply  laden, 
as  we  had  embarked  some  packages  that  had 
come  in  the  canoes  of  M.  Le  Koux.  We 
Avere  saluted  on  our  departure  with  ',ome  vol- 
leys of  small  arms,  which  we  returned,  and 
steered  South  by  West  straight  across  the 
bay,  which  is  here  no  more  than  two  miles 
and  a  half  broad,  but,  from  the  accounts  of 
the  natives,  it  is  fifteen  leagues  in  depth, 
with  a  much  greater  breadth  in  several  parts, 
and  full  of  islands.  I  sounded  in  the  course 
of  the  traverse  and  found  six  fathoms  with  a 
sandy  bottom.  Here,  the  land  has  a  very 
different  appearance  from  that  on  which  we 
have  been  since  we  entered  the  lake.  Till 
Ave  arrived  here  there  was  one  continued  view 
of  high  hills  and  islands  of  solid  rock,  whose 
surface  Avas  occasionally  enlivened  Avith  moss, 
shrubs,  and  a  fcAv  scattered  trees,  of  a  very 
stinted  groAvth,  from  an  insufficiency  of  soil 
to  nourish  them.  But,  notAvithstanding  their 
barren  appearance,  almost  every  part  of  them 
produces  berries  of  various  kinds,  such  as 
cranberries,  juniper  berries,  raspberries,  par- 
tridge berries,  gooseberries,  and  the  pathe- 
gomenan,  Avhich  is  something  like  a  raspberry ; 
it  groAA's  on  a  small  stalk  about  a  foot  and  a 
half  high,  in  Avet,  mossy  spots.  These  fruits 
214 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OP  AMERICA. 

are  in  great  abundance,  though  they  are  not 
to  be  found  in  the  same  places,  but  in  situa- 
tions and  aspects  suited  to  their  peculiar  na- 
tures. 

The  land  which  borders  the  lake  in  this 
part  is  loose  and  sandy,  but  is  well  covered 
with  wood,  composed  of  trees  of  a  larger 
growth:  it  gradually  rises  from  the  shore, 
and  at  some  distance  forms  a  ridge  of  high 
land  running  along  the  coast,  thick  with 
wood  and  a  rocky  summit  rising  above  it. 

We  steered  South-South-East  nine  miles, 
when  we  were  very  much  interrupted  by 
drifting  ice,  and  with  some  difficulty  reached 
an  island,  where  we  landed  at  seven.  I  im- 
mediately proceeded  to  the  further  part  of  it, 
in  order  to  discover  if  there  was  any  proba- 
bility of  our  being  able  to  get  from  thence 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  It  is  about  five 
miles  in  circumference,  and  I  was  very  much 
surprised  to  find  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
wood  with  which  it  was  formerly  covered, 
had  been  cut  down  within  twelve  or  fifteen 
years,  and  that  the  remaining  stumps  were 
become  altogether  rotten.  On  making  in- 
quiry concerning  the  cause  of  this  extraor- 
dinary circumstance,  the  English  chief  in- 
formed me,  that  several  winters  ago,  many  of 
the  Slave  Indians  inhabited  the  islands  that 
were  scattered  over  the  bay,  as  the  surround- 
ing waters  abound  with  fish  throughout  the 
215 


JOURNAL  OP  A  VOYAGE   TIIROLTtII   THE 

year,  but  that  they  had  been  driven  away 
by  the  Knisteneaux,  who  continually  made 
war  upon  them.  If  an  establishment  is  to  be 
made  in  this  country,  it  must  be  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  this  place,  on  account  of  the 
Avood  and  fishery. 

At  eleven  we  ventured  to  re-embark,  as  the 
wind  had  driven  the  greatest  part  of  the  ice 
past  the  island,  though  Ave  still  had  to  en- 
counter some  broken  pieces  of  it,  which 
threatened  to  damage  our  canoe.  We  steered 
South-East  from  ))oint  to  point  across  five 
bays,  twenty-one  miles.  We  took  soundings 
several  times,  and  found  from  six  to  ten 
fathom  water.  I  observed  that  the  country 
gradually  descended  inland,  and  was  still 
better  covered  with  wood  than  in  the  higher 
parts. — Wherever  we  approached  the  land, 
we  perceived  deserted  lodges.  The  hunters 
killed  two  swans  and  a  beaver;  and  at  length 
we  landed  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
when  Ave  unloaded  and  gummed  our  canoe. 

Friday,  26. — We  continued  our  route  at 
five  o'clock,  steering  South-East  for  ten  miles 
across  tAvo  deep  bays;  then  South-South- 
East,  Avith  islands  in  sight  to  the  EastAvard. 
We  then  traversed  another  bay  in  a  course  of 
three  miles,  then  South  one  mile  to  a  point 
Avhich  Ave  named  the  Detour,  and  South-South- 
West  four  miles  and  an  half,  Avhen  there  was 
an  heavy  swell  of  the  lake.  Here  I  took  an 
216 


NORTH  WEST   CONTINENT   OF   AMERICA. 

observation,  when  we  were  in  61  40.  North 
latitude  We  then  proceeded  South-West 
four  miles,  and  West-South  West  among 
islands :  on  one  of  which  our  Indians  killed 
two  rein-deer,  but  we  lost  three  hours  aft 
wmd  in  going  for  them :  this  course  was  nine 
miles.  About  sev^eii  in  the  evening  we  were 
obliged  to  land  for  the  night,  as  thejvdud  be- 
came too  strong  from  the  South-East.  We 
thought  we  could  observe  land  in  this  direc- 
tion when  the  wind  was  coming  on  from  some 
distance.  On  the  other  side  of  the  Detour, 
the  land  is  low,  and  the  shore  is  flat  and  dan- 
gerous, there  being  no  safe  place  to  land  in 
bad  weather,  except  in  the  islands  which  we 
had  just  passed.  There  seemed  to  be  plenty 
of  moose  and  rein-deer  in  this  country,  as  we 
saw  their  tracks  wherever  we  landed.  There 
are  also  great  numbers  of  white  partridges, 
wdiich  were  at  this  season  of  a  grey  colour, 
like  that  of  the  moor-fowl.  There  was  some 
floating  ice  in  the  lake,  and  the  Indians  killed 
a  couple  of  swans. 

Satanlai/,  27. — At  three  this  morning  we 
were  m  the  canoe,  after  having  passed  a  very 
restless  night  from  the  persecution  of  the 
mosquitoes  The  weather  was  fine  and  calm, 
and  our  course  West-South- West  nine  miles, 
when  we  came  to  the  foot  of  a  traverse,  the 
opposite  p(jint  in  sight  bearing  South-West, 
distance  twelve  miles.  The  bay  is  at  least 
217 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

eight  miles  deep,  and  this  course  two  miles 
more,  ia  all  ten  miles.  It  now  became  very 
foggy,  and  as  the  bays  were  so  numerous,  we 
landed  for  two  liours,  when  the  weather 
cleared  up,  and  we  took  the  advantage  of 
steering  South  thirteen  miles,  and.  passed 
several  small  bays,  when  we  came  to  the 
point  of  a  very  deep  one,  whose  extremity 
was  not  discernible ;  the  land  bearing  South 
from  us,  at  the  distance  of  about  ten  miles. 
Our  guide  not  having  been  here  for  eight 
winters,  was  at  a  loss  what  course  to  take, 
though  as  well  as  he  could  recollect,  this  bay 
appeared  to  be  the  entrance  of  the  river. 
Accordingly,  we  steered  down  it,  about  West- 
South-West,  till  we  were  involved  in  a  held 
of  broken  ice.  We  still  could  not  discover 
the  bottom  of  the  bay,  and  a  fog  coming  on, 
made  it  very  difficult  for  us  to  get  to  an 
island  to  the  South-West,  and  it  was  nearly 
dark  when  we  effected  a  landing 

Sunday,  28. — At  a  quarter  past  three  we 
were  again  on  the  water,  and  as  we  could 
perceive  no  current  setting  into  this  bay,  we 
made  the  best  of  our  way  to  the  point  that 
bore  South  from  us  yesterday  afternoon.  We 
continued  our  course  South  three  miles  more, 
South  by  West  seven  miles,  West  fifteen 
miles,  when  by  observation  we  were  in  61  de- 
grees North  latitude;  we  then  proceeded 
West-North-West  two  miles.  Here  we  came 
218 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AiMERICA 

to  the  foot  of  a  traverse,  the  opposite  land 
bearing  South-West,  distance  foui-teen  miles, 
when  we  steered  into  a  deep  bay,  about  a 
westerly  course;  and  though  we  had  no  land 
ahead  in  sight,  we  indulged  the  hope  of  find- 
ing a  passage,  which,  according  to  the  Indian, 
"would  conduct  us  to  the  entrance  of  the  river. 
Having  a  strong  wind  aft,  we  lost  sight  of 
the  Indians,  nor  could  we  put  on  shore  to 
wait  for  them,  without  risking  material  dam- 
age to  the  canoe,  till  we  ran  to  the  bottom  of 
the  bay,  and  were  forced  among  the  rushes; 
when  we  discovered  that  there  was  no  pas- 
sage there.  In  about  two  or  three  hours  they 
joined  us,  but  would  not  approach  our  fire, 
as  there  was  no  good  ground  for  an  encamp- 
ment: they  emptied  their  canoe  of  the  water 
which  it  had  taken  in,  and  continued  their 
route,  but  did  not  encamp  till  sunset  The 
English  chief  was  very  much  irritated  against 
the  Red-Knife  Indian,  and  even  threatened 
to  murder  him,  for  having  undertaken  to 
guide  us  in  a  course  of  which  he  was  ignorant ; 
nor  had  we  any  reason  to  be  satisfied  with 
him,  though  he  still  continued  to  encourage 
us,  by  declaring  that  he  recollected  having 
passed  from  the  river,  through  the  woods,  to 
the  place  where  he  had  landed  In  the  blow- 
ing weather  to-day,  we  were  obliged  to  make 
use  of  our  large  kettle,  to  keep  our  canoe 
from  filling,  although  we  did  not  carry  above 
219 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIROUGII  THE 

three  feet  sail.     The  Indians  very  narrowly 
escaped. 

Monday,  29. — We  embarked  at  four  this 
morning,  and  steered  along  the  South-West 
side  of  the  bay.  At  half  past  five  we  reached 
the  extremity  of  the  point,  whicli  we  doubled, 
and  found  it  to  be  tlie  branfh  or  passage  tliat 
was  the  object  of  our  search,  and  occasioned 
by  a  very  long  island,  which  separates  it 
from  the  main  channel  of  the  river.  It  is 
about  half  a  mile  across,  and  not  more  than 
six  feet  in  depth ;  the  water  appeared  to 
abound  in  fish,  and  was  covered  with  fowl, 
such  as  swans,  geese,  and  several  kinds  of 
ducks,  particularly  black  ducks,  that  were 
v^ery  numerous,  but  we  could  not  get  within 
gun  shot  of  them. 

The  current,  though  not  very  strong,  set  us 
South-West  by  West,  and  we  followed  this 
course  fourteen  miles,  till  we  passed  the  point 
of  the  long  island,  where  the  Slave  Lake  dis- 
charges itself,  and  is  ten  miles  in  breadth. 
There  is  not  more  than  from  five  to  two 
fathom  water,  so  that  when  the  lake  is  low, 
it  may  be  presumed  the  greatest  part  of  this 
channel  must  be  dry.  The  river  now  turns 
to  the  Westward,  becoming  gradually  nar- 
rower for  twenty-four  miles,  till  it  is  not 
more  than  half  a  mile  wide ;  the  current, 
however,  is  then  much  stronger,  and  the 
sounding  were  three  fathom  and  a  half.  The 
220 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

land  on  the  North  shore  from  the  lake  is  low, 
and  covered  with  trees ;  that  to  the  South  is 
much  higher,  and  has  also  an  abundance  of 
wood.  The  current  is  very  strong,  and  the 
banks  are  of  an  equal  height  on  both  sides, 
consisting  of  a  yellow  clay,  mixed  with  small 
stones;  they  are  covered  with  large  quanti- 
ties of  burned  wood,  lying  on  the  ground, 
and  young  poplar  trees,  that  have  sprung  up 
since  the  fire  that  destroyed  the  larger  wood. 
It  is  a  very  curious  and  extraordinary  circum- 
stance, that  land  covered  with  spruce  pine, 
and  white  birch,  when  laid  waste  by  fire, 
should  subsequently  produce  nothing  but 
poplars,  Avhere  none  of  that  species  of  tree 
were  previously  to  be  found. 

A  stiff  breeze  from  the  Eastward  drove  us 
on  at  a  great  rate  under  sail,  in  the  same 
course,  though  obliged  to  wind  among  the 
islands.  We  kept  the  North  channel  for 
about  ten  miles,  whose  current  is  much 
stronger  than  that  of  the  South ;  so  that  the 
latter  is  consequently  the  better  road  to  come 
up.  Here  the  river  widened,  and  the  wind 
dying  away,  we  had  recourse  to  our  paddles. 
We  kept  our  course  to  the  North-West,  ou 
the  North  side  of  the  river,  which  is  here 
much  wider,  and  assumes  the  form  of  a  small 
lake;  we  could  not,  however,  discover  an 
opening  in  any  direction,  so  that  we  were  at 
a  loss  what  course  to  take,  as  our  Red-Knife 
221 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   TIIROLGII   THE 

Indian  had  never  explored  beyond  our  present 
situation.  He  at  the  same  time  informed  us 
that  a  river  falls  in  from  the  North,  which 
takes  its  rise  in  the  Horn  Mountain,  now  in 
sight,  which  is  the  country  of  the  Beaver  In- 
dians; and  that  he  and  his  relations  fre- 
quently meet  on  that  river.  He  also  added, 
that  there  are  very  extensive  plains  on  both 
sides  of  it,  which  abound  in  buffaloes  and 
moose  deer. 

By  keeping  this  course,  we  got  into  shal- 
lows, so  that  we  were  forced  to  steer  to  the 
left,  till  Ave  recovered  deep  water,  which  we 
followed  till  the  channel  of  the  river  opened 
on  us  to  the  southward,  we  now  made  for  the 
shore,  and  encamped  soon  after  sunset.  Our 
course  ought  to  have  been  West  fifteen  miles, 
since  we  took  to  the  paddle,  the  Horn  IMoun- 
tains  bearing  from  us  North-West,  and  run- 
ning North-North-East  and  South-South- 
West.  Our  soundings,  which  were  frequent 
during  the  course  of  the  day,  were  from  three 
to  six  fathoms  water.  The  hunters  killed 
two  geese  and  a  swan :  it  appeared,  indeed, 
that  great  numbers  of  fowls  breed  in  the 
islands  which  we  had  passed. 

Tuesday,  30. — At  four  this  morning  w^e  got 
under  way,  the  weather  being  fine  and  calm. 
Our  course  was  South-West  by  South  thirty- 
six  miles.  On  the  South  side  of  the  river  is 
a  ridge  of  low  mountains,  running  East  and 
222 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

West  by  compass.  The  Indians  picked  up  a 
white  goose,  which  appeared  to  have  been 
lately  shot  with  an  arrow,  and  was  quite 
fresh.  We  proceeded  South-West  by  South 
six  miles,  and  then  came  to  a  bay  on  our  left, 
which  is  full  of  small  islands,  and  appeared 
to  be  the  entrance  of  a  river  from  the  South. 
Here  the  ridge  of  mountains  terminates. 
This  course  was  fifteen  miles. 

At  six  in  the  afternoon  there  was  an  ap- 
pearance of  bad  weather;  we  landed  there- 
fore, for  the  night ;  but  before  we  could  pitch 
our  tents,  a  violent  tempest  came  on,  with 
thunder,  lightning,  and  rain,  which,  however, 
soon  ceased,  but  not  before  we  had  suffered 
the  mconvenience  of  being  drenched  by  it. 
The  Indians  were  very  much  fatigued,  having 
been  employed  in  running  after  wild  fowl, 
which  had  lately  cast  their  feathers;  they, 
however,  caught  five  swans,  and  the  same 
number  of  geese.  I  sounded  several  times 
in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  found  from  four 
to  six  fathoms  water. 


223 


JOURNAL  OP  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 


CHAPTER   III. 

JULY,  1789. 

Wednesday,  1.  At  half  past  four  in  the 
morning  we  continued  our  voyage,  and  in  a 
short  time  found  the  river  narrowed  to  about 
half  a  mile.  Our  course  was  Westerly  among 
islands,  with  a  strong  current.  Though  the 
land  is  high  on  both  sides,  the  banks  are  not 
perpendicular.  This  course  was  twenty-one 
miles ;  and  on  sounding  we  found  nine  fathoms 
water.  We  then  proceeded  West-ISTdrth-West 
nine  miles,  and  passed  a  river  upon  the 
South-East  side ;  we  sounded,  and  found 
twelve  fathoms ;  and  then  we  went  North- 
West  by  West  three  miles.  Here  I  lost  my 
lead,  which  had  fastened  at  the  bottom,  with 
part  of  the  line,  the  current  running  so  strong 
that  we  could  not  clear  i:  with  eight  paddles, 
and  the  strength  of  the  line,  which  was  equal 
to  four  paddles.  Continued  North  by  West 
five  miles,  and  saw  a  high  mountain,  bearing 
South  from  us;  we  then  proceeded  North- 
West  by  North  four  miles.  We  now  passed 
a  small  river  on  the  North  side,  then  doul>led 
a  point  to  West-South- West.  At  one  o'clock 
there  came  on  lightning  and  thunder,  with 
wind  and  rain,  which  ceased  in  about  half  an 
224 


G 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

hour,  aud  left  us  almost  deluged  with  wet, 
as  we  did  not  land.  There  were  great  quan- 
tities of  ice  along  the  banks  (  l  the  river. 

We  landed  upon  r,,  small  island,  where  there 
were  the  poles  of  four  lodges  standing,  which 
we  concluded  to  have  belonged  to  the  Kniste- 
neaux,  on  their  war  excursions,  six  or  seven 
years  ago.  This  con-sc  was  fifteen  miles 
AVest,  to  where  the  river  of  the  Mountain 
falls  in  from  the  Southward=  1 '-,  appears  to 
be  a  very  large  river,  whose  mouth  is  half  a 
mile  broad.  About  six  miles  further  a  small 
river  flows  in  the  same  direction ;  and  our 
whole  course  was  twenty-four  miles.  We 
landed  opposite  to  an  island,  the  mountains 
to  the  Southward  being  in  sight.  As  our 
canoe  was  deeply  laden,  and  being  also  in 
daily  expectation  of  coming  to  the  rapids  or 
fall,  which  Ave  had  been  taught  to  consider 
with  apprehension,  we  concealed  two  bags  of 
pemmican  in  the  opposite  island,  in  the  hope 
that  they  would  be  of  future  service  to  us. 
The  Indians  were  of  a  different  opinion,  as 
they  entertained  no  expectation  of  returning 
that  season,  when  the  hidden  provisions 
would  be  spoiled.  Near  us  were  two  Indian 
encampments  of  the  last  year.  By  the  man- 
ner in  Avhich  these  people  cut  their  wood,  it 
appears  that  they  have  no  iron  tools.  The 
current  was  very  strong  during  the  whole  of 
this  day's  voyage,  and  in  the  article  of  pro- 
15  225 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIUOUGII  THE 

visions  two  swans  Avere  all  that  the  hunters 
were  able  to  procure. 

Thursday,    2. — The     morning    was    very 
foggy :  but  at  half  past  five  we  embarked ;  it 
cleared  up,  however,  at  seven,  when  we  dis- 
covered that  the  water,  from  being  very  lim- 
pid and  clear,  was  become  dark  and  muddy. 
This  alteration  must  have  proceeded  from  the 
influx  of  some  river  to  the    Southward,  but 
where  these  streams  first  blended  their  Ava- 
ters,  the  fog  had  prevented  us  from  observ- 
ing.   At  nine  we  perceived  a  very  high  moun- 
tain ahead,  which  appeared,  on  our  nearer 
approach,  to  be  rather  a  cluster  of  mountains, 
stretching  as  far  as  our  view  could  reach  to 
the  Southward,  and  who.se  tops  were  lost  in 
the  clouds.     At  noon  there  was   lightning, 
thunder,    and   rain,    and   at   one,    we   came 
abreast  of  the  mountains ;  their  summits  ap- 
peared to  be  barren  and  rocky,  but  their  de- 
clivities were  covered  with  wood;  they  ap- 
peared also  to  be  sprinkled  with  white  stones, 
which  glistened  in  the  sun,  and  were  called 
by  the    Indians   manetoe   aseniah,    or  spirit 
stones.     I    suspected   that   they  were  Talc, 
though  they  possessed  a  more  brilliant  white- 
ness ;  on  our  return,  however,  these  appear- 
ances were  dissolved,  as  they  were  nothing 
more  than  patches  of  snow. 

Our    course    had    been   West-South-West 
thirty  miles   and  we  proceeded   with   great 
226 


NORTH-AVEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

caution,  as  we  continually  expected  to  ap- 
proach some  great  rapid  or  fall.  This  ATas 
such  a  prevalent  idea,  that  all  of  us  were  oc- 
casionally persuaded  that  we  heard  those 
sounds  which  betokened  a  fall  of  water.  Our 
course  changed  to  West  by  North,  along  the 
mountains,  twelve  miles,  North  by  West, 
twenty-one  miles,  and  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  we  went  on  shore  for  the  night,  on 
the  North  side  of  the  river.  We  saw  several 
encampments  of  the  natives,  some  of  which 
had  been  erected  in  the  present  spring,  and 
others  at  some  former  period.  The  hunters 
killed  only  one  swan  and  a  beaver;  the  latter 
was  the  first  of  its  kind  which  we  had  seen 
in  this  river.  The  Indians  complained  of  the 
perseverance  with  which  we  pushed  forward, 
and  that  they  were  not  accustomed  to  such 
severe  fatigue  as  it  occasioned. 

Friday,  3. — The  rain  was  continual  through 
the  night,  and  did  not  subside  till  seven  this 
morning,  when  we  embarked  and  steered 
North-North- West  for  twelve  miles,  the  river 
being  enclosed  by  high  mountains  on  either 
side.  We  had  a  strong  head-wind,  and  the 
rain  was  so  violent  as  to  compel  us  to  land  at 
ten  o'clock.  According  to  my  reckoning, 
since  my  last  observation,  we  had  run  two 
hundred  and  seventeen  miles  West,  and  forty- 
four  miles  North.  At  a  quarter  past  two  the 
rain  subsided,  and  we  got  again  under  way, 
227 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIllOUGII  THE 

our  former  course  coutiiming  for  five  miles. 
Here  a  river  fell  in  from  the  Korth,  and  in  a 
short  time  the   current   became  strong  and 
rapid,    running   with   great   rapidity  among 
rocky  islands,  which  were  the   first  that  we 
had  seen  in  this  river,  and  indicated  our  near 
approach  to  rapids  and  falls.     Our  present 
course  was  North-West  by  North  ten  miles. 
North- West   three  miles,  West-North- West 
twelve   miles,  and  North-West  three  miles, 
when  we  encamped  at  eight  in  the  evening,  at 
the  foot  of  an  high  hill,  on  the  North  shore, 
which  in  some  parts  rose  perpendicular  from 
the  river.     I  immediately   ascended   it,  ac- 
companied by  two  men  and  some  Indians,  and 
in  about  an  hour  and  an  half,  with  very  hard 
walking,  we  gained  the  summit,  when  I  was 
very  much  surprised  to  find  it  crowned  by  an 
encampment.    The  Indians  informed  me,  that 
it  is  the  custom  of  the  people  who  have  no 
arms  to  choose  these  elevated  spots  for  the 
places  of  their  residence,  as  they  can  render 
them    inaccessible  to  their  enemies,  particu- 
larly the  Kuisteneaux,  of  whom  tliey  are  in 
continnal   dread.      The   prospect   from    this 
height  was  not  so  extensive  as  we  expected, 
as  it  was  terminated  by  a  circular  range  of 
hills,  of  the  same  elevation  as  that  on  which 
we  stood.     The    intervals   between  the  hills 
were    covered  with  small  lakes,  which  were 
inhabited  by  great  numbers  of   swans,     W^e, 
228 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AISIERICA. 

saw  no  trees  but  the  piue  and  the  birch,  which 
were  small  in  size  and  few  in  number. 

We  were  obliged  to  shorten  our  stay  here, 
from  the  swarms  of  mosquitoes  which  at- 
tacked us  on  all  sides  and  were,  indeed,  the 
only  inhabitants  of  the  place.  We  saw  sev- 
eral encampments  of  the  natives  in  the  course 
of  the  day,  but  none  of  them  were  of  this 
year's  establishment.  Since  four  in  the  after- 
noon the  current  had  been  so  strong,  that  it 
was  at  length,  in  an  actual  ebullition,  and 
produced  an  hissing  noise  like  a  kettle  of 
water  in  a  moderate  state  of  boiling.  The 
weather  was  now  become  extremely  cold, 
which  Avas  the  more  sensibly  felt,  as  it  had 
been  very  sultry  sometime  before  and  since 
we  had  been  in  the  river. 

Saturday,  4.  At  five  in  the  morning,  the 
wind  and  weather  having  undergone  no  alter- 
ation from  yesterday,  we  proceeded  North- 
West  by  West  twenty-two  miles,  North-West 
six  miles,  North-West  by  North  four  miles 
and  West-North-West  five  miles;  we  then 
passed  the  mouth  of  a  small  river  from  the 
North,  and  after  doubling  a  point,  South- 
West  one  mile,  we  passed  the  influx  of  an- 
other river  from  the  South.  We  then  con- 
tinued our  course  North-North- West,  witli  a 
mountain  ahead,  fifteen  miles,  when  the  open- 
ing of  two  rivers  appeared  opposite  to  each 
otlier:  we  then  proceeded  West  four  miles, 
229 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TTIROUGH  TPIE 

and  North- West  tliirteen  miles.  At  eight 
in  the  evening,  we  encamped  on  an  island. 
The  current  was  as  strong  through  the  whole 
of  this  day  as  it  had  been  the  preceding  after- 
noon ;  nevertheless,  a  quantity  of  ice  appeared 
along  the  banks  of  the  river.  The  hunters 
killed  a  beaver  and  a  goose,  the  former  of 
which  sunk  before  they  could  get  to  him  : 
beavers,  otters,  bears,  etc.,  if  shot  dead  at 
once,  remain  like  a  bladder,  but  if  there  re- 
mains enough  of  life  for  tliem  to  struggle, 
they  soon  fill  with  water  and  go  to  the  bot- 
tom. 

Sunday,  5.  The  sun  set  last  night  at  fifty- 
three  minutes  past  nine,  by  my  watch,  and 
rose  at  seven  minutes  before  two  this  morn- 
iing:  we  embarked  soon  after,  steering  North - 
North- West,  through  islands  for  five  miles, 
and  West  four  miles.  The  river  then  in- 
creased in  breadth,  and  the  current  began  to 
slacken  in  a  small  degree ;  after  the  continu- 
ation of  our  course,  we  perceived  a  ridge  of 
high  mountains  before  us,  covered  with  suoav. 
West-South-West  ten  miles,  and  at  three- 
quarters  past  seven  o'clock,  we  saw  several 
smokes  on  the  North  shore,  which  we  made 
every  exertion  to  approach.  As  we  drew 
nearer,  we  discovered  the  natives  running 
about  in  great  apparent  confusion ;  some  were 
making  to  the  woods,  and  others  hurrying  to 
their  canoes.  Our  hunters  landed  before  us, 
230 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

and  addressed  the  few  that  had  not  escaped, 
in  the  Chipewyan  language,  which,  so  great 
was  their  confusion  and  terror,  they  did  not 
appear  to  understand.  But  when  they  per- 
ceived that  it  was  impossible  to  avoid  us,  as 
we  were  all  landed,  they  made  us  signs  to 
keep  at  a  distance,  with  which  we  complied, 
and  not  only  unloaded  our  canoe,  but  pitched 
our  tents,  before  we  made  any  attempt  to  ap- 
proach them.  During  this  interval,  the  Eng- 
lish chief  and  his  young  men  were  employed 
in  reconciling  them  to  our  arrival ;  and  when 
they  had  recovered  from  their  alarm  of  hos- 
tile intention,  it  appeared  that  some  of  them 
perfectly  comprehended  the  language  of  our 
Indians;  so  that  they  were  at  length  per- 
suaded, though  not  without  evident  signs  of 
reluctance  and  apprehension,  to  come  to  us. 
Their  reception,  however,  soon  dissipated 
their  fears,  and  they  hastened  to  call  their 
fugitive  companions  from  their  hiding  places. 
There  were  five  families,  consisting  of 
twenty-five  or  thirty  persons,  and  of  two  dif- 
ferent tribes,  the  Slave  and  Dog-rib  Indians, 
We  made  them  smoke,  though  it  was  evi- 
dent they  did  not  know  the  use  of  tobacco ; , 
we  likewise  supplied  them  with  grog;  but  I 
am  disposed  to  think,  that  they  accepted  our 
civilities  ratlier  from  fear  than  inclination. 
We  acquired  a  more  ctTcctual  influence  over 
tliem  by  tlie  distril)Uti()n  of  knives,  beads, 
20 1 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

awls,  rings,  gartering,  fire-steels,  flints,  and 
liatchets ;  so  that  they  became  more  familiar 
even  than  we  expected,  for  we  coukl  not  keep 
them  out  of  our  tents :  though  I  did  not  ob- 
serve that  they  attempted  to  purloin  any- 
thing. 

The  information  which  they  gave  respect- 
ing the  river,  had  so  much  of  the  fabulous, 
that  I  shall  not  detail  it :  it  will  be  sufficient 
just  to  mention  their  attempts  to  persuade 
us  that  it  would  require  several  winters  to 
get  to  the  sea,  and  that  old  age  would  come 
upon  us  before  the  period  of  our  return :  we 
were  also  to  encounter  monsters  of  such  hor- 
rid shapes  and  destructive  powers  as  could 
only  exist  in  their  wild  imaginations.  They 
added,  besides,  that  there  were  two  impass- 
able falls  in  the  river,  the  first  of  Avhich  was 
about  thirty  days'  march  from  us. 

Though  I  placed  no  faith  in  these  strange 
relations,  they  had  a  very  different  effect 
upon  our  Indians,  who  were  already  tired  of 
the  voyage.  It  was  their  opinion  and  anx- 
ious wish,  that  we  should  not  hesitate  to  re- 
turn. They  said  that,  according  to  the  in- 
formation which  they  had  received,  there 
were  very  few  animals  in  the  country  beyond 
us,  and  that  as  we  proceeded,  the  scarcity 
would  increase,  and  Ave  should  absolutely 
perish  from  hunger,  if  no  other  accident  be- 
fel  us.  It  was  with  no  small  trouble  that 
232 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OP  AMERICA. 

they  were  convinced  of  the  folly  of  these 
reasonings ;  and  by  my  desire,  they  induced 
one  of  those  Indians  to  accompany  us,  in 
consideration  of  a  small  kettle,  an  axe,  a 
knife,  and  some  other  articles. 

Though  it  was  now  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  the  canoe  was  ordered  to  be  re- 
loaded, and  as  we  were  ready  to  embark  our 
new  recruit  was  desired  to  prepare  himself 
for  his  departure,  which  he  would  have  de- 
clined ;  but  as  none  of  his  friends  would  take 
his  place,  we  may  be  said,  after  the  delay  of 
an  hour,  to  have  compelled  him  to  embark. 
Previous  to  his  departure  a  ceremony  took 
place,  of  which  I  could  not  learn  the  mean- 
ing; he  cut  off  a  lock  of  his  hair,  and  having 
divided  it  into  three  parts,  he  fastened  one  of 
them  to  the  hair  on  the  upper  part  of  his 
wife's  head,  blowing  on  it  three  times  with 
the  utmost  violence  in  his  power,  and  utter- 
ing certain  words.  The  other  tAvo  he  fastened 
with  the  same  formalities,  on  the  heads  of 
his  two  children. 

During  our  short  stay  with  these  people, 
they  amused  us  Avith  dancing,  which  they 
accompanied  with  their  voices:  but  neither 
their  S(jng  or  their  dance  possessed  much 
variety.  The  men  and  women  formed  a  pro- 
miscuous ring.  The  former  have  a  bone  dag- 
ger or  jjiece  of  stick  between  the  fingers  of 
the  right  hand,  which  they  keep  extended 
233 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH   THE 

above  the  head,  in  eontiniial  motion :  the 
left  they  seldom  raise  so  high,  but  work  it 
backwards  and  forwards  in  a  horizontal  di- 
rection ;  while  they  leap  about  and  throw 
themselves  into  various  antic  postures,  to  the 
measure  of  their  music,  always  bringing  their 
heels  close  to  each  other  at  every  pause.  The 
men  occasionally  howl  in  imitation  of  some 
animal,  and  he  who  continues  this  violent 
exercise  for  the  longest  period,  appears  to  be 
considered  as  the  best  performer.  The  women 
suffer  their  arms  to  hang  as  without  the 
power  of  motion.  They  are  a  meagre,  ugly, 
ill-made  people,  particularly  about  the  legs, 
which  are  very  clumsy  and  covered  with 
scabs.  The  latter  circumstance  proceeds 
probably  from  their  habitually  roasting  them 
before  the  fire.  Many  of  them  appeared  to 
be  in  a  very  unhealthy  state,  which  is  owmg, 
as  I  imagine,  to  their  natural  filthiness.  They 
are  of  a  moderate  stature,  and  as  far  as  could 
be  discovered,  through  the  coat  of  dirt  and 
grease  that  covers  them,  are  of  a  fairer  com- 
plexion than  the  generality  of  Indians  who 
are  the  natives  of  warmer  climates. 

Some  of  them  have  their  hair  of  a  great 
length;  while  others  suffer  a  long  tress  to 
fall  behind,  and  the  rest  is  cut  so  short  as  to 
expose  their  ears,  Init  no  other  attention 
whatever  is  paid  to  it.  The  beards  of  some 
of  the  old  men  were  long,  and  the  rest  had 
234 


KORTH  WEST  COXTIXENT  OF  AMERICA. 

them  pulled  out  by  the  roots  so  that  uot  a 
hair  could  be  seen  on  their  chins.  The  men 
have  two  double  lines,  either  black  or  blue, 
tattooed  upon  each  cheek,  from  the  ear  to  the 
nose.  The  gristle  of  the  latter  is  perforated 
so  as  to  admit  a  goose-quill  or  a  small  piece 
of  wood  to  be  passed  through  the  orifice. 
Their  clothing  is  made  of  the  dressed  skins  of 
the  rein  or  moose-deer,  though  more  com- 
monly of  the  former.  These  they  prepare  in 
the  hair  for  winter,  and  make  shirts  of  both, 
which  reach  to  the  middle  of  their  thighs. 
Some  of  them  are  decorated  with  an  embroid- 
ery of  very  neat  workmanship  with  porcupine 
quills  and  the  hair  of  the  moose,  coloured 
red,  black,  yellow,  and  white.  Their  upper 
garments  are  sufficiently  large  to  cover  the 
whole  body,  with  a  fringe  round  the  bottom, 
and  are  used  both  sleeping  and  awake.  Their 
leggins  come  half  way  up  the  thigh,  and  are 
sewed  to  their  shoes :  they  are  embroidered 
round  the  ancle,  and  upon  every  seam.  The 
dress  of  the  women  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
men.  The  former  have  no  covering  on  their 
private  parts,  except  a  tassel  of  leather  which 
dangles  from  a  small  cord,  as  it  appears,  to 
keep  off  the  flies,  which  would  otherwise  be 
very  troublesome.  AVhether  circumcision  be 
practised  among  them,  I  cannot  pretend  to 
say,  Ijut  the  api)eavance  of  it  was  general 
among  those  whom  1  saw. 


JOURNAL  OF  A  V0YAC4E  TIIROUGH  THE 

Their  ornaments  consist  of  gorgets,  bvaee- 
lets  for  the  arms  and  wrists,  made  of  wood, 
horn,  or  bone,  belts,  garters,  and  a  kind  of 
band  to  go  round  the  head,  composed  of 
stri])s  of  leather  of  one  inch  and  an  half 
broad,  embroidered  with  porcupine  quills, 
and  stuck  round  with  the  claws  of  bears  or 
wild  fowl  inverted,  to  which  are  suspended  a 
few  short  thongs  of  the  skin  of  an  animal 
that  resembles  the  ermine,  in  the  form  of  a 
tassel.  Their  cinctures  and  garters  are  formed 
of  porcupine  quills  woven  with  sinews,  in  a 
style  of  peculiar  skill  and  neatness:  they 
have  others  of  different  materials,  and  more 
ordinary  w^orkmanship ;  and  to  l)oth  they  at- 
tach a  long  f.inge  of  strings  of  leather, 
worked  round  with  hair  of  various  colours. 
Their  mittens  are  also  suspended  from  the 
neck  in  a  position  convenient  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  hands. 

Their  lodges  are  of  a  very  simple  structure  : 
a  few  poles  supported  by  a  fork,  and  forming 
a  semicircle  at  the  bottom,  with  some  branches 
or  a  piece  of  bark  as  a  covering,  constitutes 
the  whole  of  their  native  architecture.  They 
build  two  of  these  huts  facing  each  other,  and 
make  the  fire  between  them.  The  furniture 
harmonises  with  the  buildings :  they  have  a 
few  dishes  of  wood,  bark,  or  horn ;  the  ves- 
sels in  which  they  cook  their  victuals  are  in 
the  shape  of  a  gourd,  narrow  at  the  top  and 
2.% 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

wide  at  the  bottom,  and  of  watape,*  fabri- 
cated in  such  a  manner  as  to  hold  water, 
which  is  made  to  boil  by  putting  a  succession 
of  red-hot  stones  into  it.  These  vessels  con- 
tain from  two  to  six  gallons.  They  have  a 
number  of  small  leather  bags  to  hold  their 
embroidered  work,  lines,  and  nets.  They 
always  keep  a  large  quantity  of  the  fibres  of 
willow  bark,  which  they  work  into  thread  on 
their  thighs.  Their  nets  are  from  three  to 
forty  fathoms  in  length,  and  from  thirteen  to 
thirty-six  inches  in  depth.  The  short  deep 
ones  they  set  in  the  eddy  current  of  rivers, 
and  the  long  ones  in  the  lakes.  They  like- 
wise make  lines  of  the  sinews  of  the  rein-deer, 
and  manufacture  their  hooks  from  wood, 
horn,  or  bone.  Their  arms  and  weapons  for 
hunting,  are  bows  and  arrows,  spears,  dag- 
gers, and  pogamagans,  or  clubs.  The  bows 
are  about  five  or  six  feet  in  length,  and  the 
strings  are  of  smews  or  raw  skins.  The  ar- 
rows are  two  feet  and  an  half  long,  including 
the  barb,  which  is  variously  formed  of  bone, 
horn,  flint,  iron,  or  copper,  and  are  winged 
with  three  feathers.     The  pole  of  the  spears 

*  Watape  is  the  name  given  to  tlie  divided  roots 
of  the  spruce  fir,  wliicli  tlic  natives  weave  into  a  de- 
gree of  compactness  tliat  renders  it  capable  of  con- 
taining a  fluid.  The  different  parts  of  the  bark 
canoes  are  also  sewed  together  with  this  kind  of  fila- 
ment. 

237 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIHorOII   THE 

is  about  six  feet  in  length,  and  pointed  witli  a 
barbed  bone  of  ten  inches.  With  this  weapon 
they  strike  the  rein-deer  in  the  water.  The 
daggers  are  flat  and  sharj) -pointed,  about 
twelve  inches  long,  and  made  of  horn  or  bone. 
The  pogamagon  is  made  of  the  horn  of  the 
rein-deer,  the  branches  being  all  cut  off,  ex- 
cept that  which  forms  the  extremity.  This 
instrument  is  about  two  feet  in  length,  and 
is  employed  to  desi)atch  their  enemies  in 
battle,  and  such  animals  as  they  catch  in 
snares  placed  for  that  purpose.  These  are 
about  three  fathom  long,  and  are  made  of  the 
green  skin  of  the  rein  or  moose-deer,  but  in 
such  small  strips,  that  it  requires  from  ten  to 
thirty  strands  to  make  this  cord,  which  is 
not  thicker  than  a  cod-line;  and  strong 
enough  to  resist  any  animal  that  can  be  en- 
tangled in  it.  Snares  or  nooses  are  also  made 
of  sinews  to  take  lesser  animals,  such  as 
hares  and  white  partridges,  which  are  very 
numerous.  Their  axes  are  manufactured  of 
a  piece  of  brown  or  grey  stone  from  six  to 
eight  inches  long,  and  two  inches  thick.  The 
inside  is  flat,  and  the  outside  round  and 
tapering  to  an  edge,  an  inch  wide.  They  are 
fastened  by  the  middle  with  the  flat  side  in- 
wards to  a  handle  two  feet  long,  with  a  cord 
of  green  skin.  This  is  the  tool  with  which 
they  split  their  wood,  and  we  believe,  the 
only  one  of  its  kind  among  them.  They 
238 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

kiudle  fire,  by  striking  together  a  piece  of 
white  or  yellow  pyrites  and  a  flint  stone,  over 
a  piece  of  touchwood.  They  are  universally 
provided  with  a  small  bag  containing  these 
materials,  so  tliat  they  are  in  a  continual 
state  of  preparation  to  produce  fire.  From 
the  adjoining  tribes,  the  Red-Knives  and 
Chepewyans,  they  procure,  in  barter  for 
marten  skins  and  a  few  beaver,  small  pieces 
of  iron,  of  which  they  manufacture  knives, 
by  fixing  them  at  the  end  of  a  short  stick, 
and  with  them  and  the  beaver's  teeth,  they 
finish  all  their  work.  They  keep  them  in  a 
sheath  hanging  to  their  neck,  which  also  con- 
tains their  awls  both  of  iron  and  horn. 

Their  canoes  are  small,  pointed  at  both 
ends,  flat-bottomed  and  covered  in  the  fore 
part.  They  are  made  of  the  bark  of  the 
birch-tree  and  fir-wood,  but  of  so  slight  a  con- 
struction, that  the  man  whom  one  of  these 
light  vessels  bears  on  the  water,  can,  in  re- 
turn, carry  it  over  land  without  any  diffi- 
culty. It  is  very  seldom  that  more  than  one 
person  embarks  in  them,  nor  are  they  capable 
of  receiving  more  than  two.  The  paddles 
are  six  feet  long,  one  half  of  which  is  occu- 
pied by  a  blade  of  about  eight  inches  wide. 
These  people  informed  us,  that  we  had  passed 
large  bodies  of  Indians  who  inhabit  the  moun- 
tains on  the  east  side  of  the  river. 

At  four  in  the  afternoon  we  embarked,  and 
239 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

our  Iiidian  acfiuaiutance  promised  to  reinaiu 
oil  the  bank  of  tlie  river  till  the  fall,  in  ease 
we  should  return.  Our  eourse  was  West- 
South-West,  and  we  soon  passed  the  Great- 
Bear-Lake  River,  which  is  of  a  consideral)le 
depth,  and  a  hundred  yards  wide:  its  water 
is  clear,  and  has  the  greenish  hue  of  the  sea. 
We  had  not  proceeded  more  than  six  miles 
when  we  Avere  obliged  to  land  for  the  night, 
in  consequence  of  an  heavy  gust  of  wind,  ac- 
companied Avith  rain.  We  encamped  beneath 
a  rocky  hill,  on  the  top  of  which,  according 
to  the  information  of  our  guide,  it  blew  a 
storm  every  day  throughout  the  year.  He 
found  himself  very  uncomfortable  in  his  new 
situation,  and  pi-etended  that  he  was  very  ill, 
in  order  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  return 
to  his  relations.  To  prevent  his  escape  it  be- 
came necessary  to  keep  a  strict  watch  over 
him  during  the  night. 

Monday,  6. — At  three  o'clock,  in  a  very 
raw  and  cloudy  morning,  we  embarked,  and 
steered  West-South-West  four  miles,  West 
four  miles,  West-Xorth-West  live  miles, 
West  eight  miles,  West  by  South,  sixteen 
miles,  West  twenty-seven  miles,  South-West 
nine  miles,  then  West  six  miles,  and  en- 
camped at  half  past  seven.  We  passed 
through  numerous  islands,  and  had  the  ridge 
of  snowy  mountains  always  in  sight.  Our 
conductor  informed  us  that  great  numbers  of 
240 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OP  AMERICA. 

bears  and  small  wliite  buffaloes  frequent  those 
mountains,  which  are  also  inhabited  by  In- 
dians. We  encamped  in  a  similar  situation 
to  that  of  the  preceding  evening,  beneath  an- 
other high  rocky  hill,  which  I  attempted  to 
ascend,  in  company  with  one  of  the  hunters, 
but  before  we  had  got  half  way  to  the  sum- 
mit, we  were  almost  suffocated  by  clouds  of 
mosquitoes,  and  were  obliged  to  return.  I 
observed,  however,  that  a  river  flowed  from 
the  Westward:  I  also  discovered  a  strong 
rippling  current  or  rapid  which  ran  close  un- 
der a  steep  precipice  of  the  hill. 

Tuesihuj,  7. — We  embarked  at  four  in  the 
morning,  and  crossed  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  in  consequence  of  the  rapid;  but 
we  might  have  spared  ourselves  this  trouble, 
as  there  would  have  been  no  danger  in  con- 
tinuing our  course,  without  any  circuitous 
deviation  whatever.  This  circumstance  con- 
vinced us  of  the  erroneous  account  given  by 
the  natives  of  the  great  and  approaching 
dangers  of  our  navigation,  as  this  rapid  was 
stated  to  be  one  of  them.  Our  course  was 
now  North-North-West  three  miles.  AVest- 
North-West  four  miles.  North -West  ten 
luiles.  North  two  miles,  when  we  came  to  a 
river  that  flowed  from  the  Eastward.  Here 
Avc  landed  at  an  encami)mcnt  of  four  fires,  all 
the  inhabitants  of  which  ran  off  with  tlie  ut- 
most speed,  except  an  old  man  and  an  old 
16  241 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH   THE 

woman.  Our  guide  called  aloud  to  the  fugi- 
tives, and  entreated  them  to  stay,  but  with- 
out effect:  the  old  man,  however,  did  not 
hesitate  to  approach  us,  and  represented  him- 
self as  too  far  advanced  in  life,  and  too  in- 
different about  the  short  time  he  had  to  re- 
main in  the  world,  to  be  very  anxious  about 
escaping  from  any  danger  that  threatened 
him;  at  the  same  time  he  palled  his  grey 
hairs  from  his  head  by  handfuls  to  distribute 
among  us,  and  implored  our  favour  for  him- 
self and  his  relations.  Our  guide,  however, 
at  length  removed  his  fears,  and  persuaded 
him  to  recall  the  fugitives,  who  consisted  of 
eighteen  people ;  whom  I  reconciled  to  me  on 
their  return  with  presents  of  beads,  knives, 
awls,  &c.,  with  which  they  appeared  to  be 
greatly  delighted.  They  differed  in  no  re- 
spect from  those  whom  we  had  already  seen ; 
nor  were  they  deficient  in  hospitable  atten- 
tions ;  they  provided  us  with  fish,  which  was 
very  well  boiled,  and  cheerfully  accepted  by  us. 
Our  guide  still  sickened  after  his  home,  and 
was  so  anxious  to  return  thither,  that  we  were 
under  the  necessity  of  forcing  him  to  embark. 

These  people  informed  us  that  we  were  close 
to  another  great  rapid,  and  that  there  were 
several  lodges  of  their  relations  in  its  vicinity. 

Four  canoes,  with  a  man  in  each,  followed 
us,  to  point  out   the  particular  channels  we 
should  follow  for  the  secure  passage  of  the 
242 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

rapid.  They  also  abounded  in  discouraging 
stories  concerning  the  dangers  and  difficulties 
which  we  were  to  encounter. 

From  hence  our  course  was  North-North- 
East  two  miles,  when  the  river  appeared  to 
be  enclosed,  as  it  were,  with  lofty,  perpen- 
dicular, white  rocks,  which  did  not  afford  us 
a  very  agreeable  prospect.     "VVe  now  Avent  on 
shore,  in  order  to  examine  the  rapid,  but  did 
not  perceive    any  signs  of  it,  though  the  In- 
dians still  continued  to  magnify  its  dangers : 
however,  as  they  ventured  down  it,  in  their 
small  canoes,  our  apprehensions  were  conse- 
quently removed,   and  we  followed  them  at 
some  distance,  but  did  not  find  any  increase 
in  the  rapidity  of  the  current ;  at  length  the 
Indians  informed  us  that  we  should  find  no 
other  rapid  but  that  which  was  now  bearing 
us  along.    The  river  at  this  place  is  not  above 
three  hundred  yards  in  breadth,  but  on  sound- 
ing I  found  fifty  fathoms  water.     At  the  two 
rivulets  that  offer  their  tributary  streams  from 
either  side,  we  found  six  families,  consisting 
of  about  thirty-five  persons,  who  gave  us  an 
ample  quantity  of  excellent  fish,  which  were, 
however,  confined  to  white  fish,  the  poisson 
inconnu,  and   another  of   a  round  form  and 
greenish  colour,  which  was    about  fourteen 
inches  in  length.     We  gratified  them  with  a 
few  presents,  and  continued  our  voyage.    The 
men,  however,  followed  us  in  fifteen  canoes. 
243 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYOAE  TIIKOUGII  THE 

This  narrow  channt'l  is  three  miles  h)iig, 
and  its  course  North-North-East.  ^Ve  then 
steered  North  three  miles,  and  landed  at  an 
encampment  of  three  or  more  families,  con- 
taining twenty-two  persons,  which  was  situ- 
ated on  the  bank  of  a  riv^er,  of  a  considerable 
appearance,  whicli  came  from  the  Eastward. 
We  obtained  hares  and  partridges  from  these 
people,  and  presented  in  return  such  articles 
as  greatly  delighted  them.  They  very  miich 
regretted  that  they  had  no  goods  or  mer- 
chandise to  exchange  with  us,  as  they  had 
left  them  at  a  lake,  from  whence  the  river  is- 
sued, and  in  whose  vicinity  some  of  their 
people  were  employed  in  setting  snares  for 
rein-deer.  The}^  engaged  to  go  for  their  ar- 
ticles of  trade,  and  would  wait  our  return, 
which  we  assumed  them  would  be  within  two 
months.  There  was  a  youth  among  them  in 
the  capacity  of  a  slave,  whom  our  Indians 
understood  much  better  than  any  of  the  na- 
tives of  this  country  whom  they  had  yet  seen ; 
he  was  invited  to  accompany  us,  but  took  the 
first  opportunity  to  conceal  himself,  and  we 
saw  him  no  more. 

We  now  steered  West  five  miles,  when  we 
again  landed,  and  found  two  families,  con- 
taining seven  people,  but  had  reason  to  l^e- 
lieve  that  there  were  others  hidden  in  the 
woods.  We  received  from  them  two  dozen 
of  hares,  and  they  were  about  to  boil  two 
244 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OP  A:\rERICA. 

more,  which  they  also  gave  us.     We  were  not 
ungrateful  for  their  kindness,  and  left  them. 
Our  course  was  now  North- West  four  miles, 
and  at  nine  we  landed  and  pitched  our  tents, 
when  one  of  our  people  killed  a  grey  crane. 
Our  conductor  renewed  his  complaints,  not, 
as  he  assured  us,  from  any  apprehension  of 
our   ill-treatment,    but   of    the    Esquimaux, 
whom  he  represented  as  a  very  wicked  and 
malignant  people ;  who  would  put  us  all  to 
death.     He  added,  also,  that  it  was  but  two 
summers  since  a  large  party  of  them  came  up 
this  river,  and  killed  many  of  his   relations. 
Two  Indians  followed  us  from  the  last  lodges. 
Wc'liumlaij,  8. — At   half   past  two  in  the 
morning  we  embarked,  and  steered  a  Westerly 
course,    and   soon  after   put   ashore   at  two 
lodges  of  nine  Indians.     We  made  them  a 
few  trifling  presents,  but  without  disembark- 
ing, and  had  proceeded  but  a  small  distance 
from    thence,    when    Ave    observed    several 
smokes  beneath  a  hill,  on  the  North  shore, 
and  on  our  approach  we  perceived  the  natives 
climbing  the  ascent  to  gain  the  woods.     The 
Indians,  however,   in  tlie  two   small  canoes 
which  were  ahead  of  us,  having  assured  them 
of  our  friendly  intentions,  they  returned  to 
their  fires,   and  we  disembarked.     Several  of 
them  were  clad  in  hare-skins,  but  in  every 
other    circumstance    they    resembled    those 
whom  we  had  already  seen.     We  were,  how- 
245 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

ever,  informed  that  they  were  of  a  different 
tribe,  called  the  Hare  Indians,  as  hares  and 
fish  are  their  principal  support,  from  the 
scarcity  of  rein-deer  and  beaver,  which  are 
the  only  animals  of  the  larger  kind  that  fre- 
quent this  part  of  the  country.  They  were 
twenty-five  in  number ;  and  among  them  was 
a  woman  who  was  afflicted  with  an  abscess  in 
the  belly,  and  reduced,  in  consequence,  to  a 
mere  skeleton :  at  the  same  time  several  old 
women  were  singing  and  howling  around  her; 
but  whether  these  noises  were  to  operate  as 
a  charm  for  her  cure,  or  merely  to  amuse  and 
console  her,  I  do  not  pretend  to  determine. 
A  small  quantity  of  our  usual  presents  were 
received  by  them  with  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion. 

Here  we  made  an  exchange  of  our  guide, 
who  had  become  so  troublesome  that  we  were 
obliged  to  watch  him  night  and  day,  except 
when  he  was  upon  the  water.  The  man, 
however,  who  had  agreed  to  go  in  his  place 
soon  repented  of  his  engagement,  and  en- 
deavoured to  i^ersuade  us  that  some  of  his  re- 
lations further  down  the  river,  would  readily 
accompany  us,  and  were  much  better  ac- 
qviainted  with  the  river  than  himself.  But, 
as  he  had  informed  us  ten  minutes  before 
that  we  should  see  no  more  of  his  tribe,  we 
paid  very  little  attention  to  his  remonstrances, 
and  compelled  him  to  embark. 
246 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

In  about  three  hours  a  man  overtook  us  in 
a  canoe,  and  we  suspected  that  his  object  was 
to  facilitate,  in  some  way  or  other,  the  escape 
of  our  conductor.  About  twelve  we  also  ob- 
served an  Indian  walking  along  the  North- 
East  shore,  when  the  small  canoes  paddled 
towards  him.  We  accordingly  followed,  and 
foimd  three  men,  three  women,  and  two  chil- 
dren, who  had  been  on  an  hunting  expedition. 
They  had  some  flesh  of  the  rein-deer,  which 
they  offered  to  us,  but  it  was  so  rotten,  as 
well  as  offensive  to  the  smell,  that  we  ex- 
cused ourselves  from  accepting  it.  They  had 
also  their  wonderful  stories  of  danger  and 
terror,  as  well  as  their  countrymen,  whom  we 
had  already  seen ;  and  we  were  now  informed, 
that  behind  the  opposite  island  there  was  a 
Manitoe  or  spirit,  in  the  river,  which  swal- 
lowed every  person  that  approached  it.  As 
it  would  have  employed  half  a  day  to  have 
indulged  our  curiosity  in  proceeding  to  ex- 
amine this  phenomenon,  we  did  not  deviate 
from  our  course,  but  left  these  people  with 
the  usual  presents,  and  proceeded  on  our 
voyage.  Our  course  and  distance  this  day 
were  West  twenty-eight  miles,  West-ISTorth- 
West  twenty-three  miles,  West-South-West 
six  miles,  West  by  North  five  miles,  South- 
West  four  miles,  and  encamped  at  eight 
o'clock.  A  fog  prevailed  the  greater  part  of 
the  day,  with  frequent  showers  of  small  rain. 
247 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIKOUGII  THE 


CHAPTER   IV. 

JULY,  1789. 

Thursday,  9. — Thunder  and  rain  prevailed 
during  tlie  night,  and,  in  the  course  of  it,  our 
guide  deserted;  we  therefore  compelled  an- 
other of  these  people,  very  much  against  his 
will,  to  su})ply  the  ])lace  of  his  fugitive  coun- 
tryman. We  also  took  aAvay  the  paddles  of 
one  of  them  who  remained  behind,  that  he 
might  not  follow  ns  on  any  scheme  of  })romot- 
ing  the  escape  of  his  companion,  who  was  not 
easily  pacified.  At  length,  however,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  the  act  of  conciliation,  and  at  half 
past  three  quitted  our  station.  In  a  short 
time  we  saw  a  smoke  on  the  East  shore,  and 
directed  our  course  towards  it.  Our  new 
guide  began  immediately  to  call  to  the  people 
that  belonged  to  it  in  a  particular  manner, 
which  we  did  not  comprehend.  He  informed 
us  that  they  were  not  of  his  tribe,  but  were  a 
very  wicked,  malignant  people,  who  would 
beat  us  cruelly,  pull  our  hair  with  great  vio- 
lence from  our  heads,  and  maltreat  us  in 
various  other  ways. 

The  men  waited  our  ai-rival,  but  the  wom- 
en and  children  took  to  the  woods.  There 
were  but  four  of  these  people,  and  previous 
248 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

to  our  landing,  they  all  harangued  us  at  the 
same  moment,  and  apparently  with  violent 
anger  and  resentment.  Our  hunters  did  not 
understand  them,  but  no  sooner  had  our  guide 
addressed  them,  than  they  were  appeased.  I 
presented  them  with  beads,  awls,  etc.,  and 
when  the  women  and  children  returned  from 
the  woods,  they  were  gratified  with  similar 
articles.  There  were  fifteen  of  them ;  and  of 
a  more  pleasing  appearance  than  any  which 
we  had  hitherto  seen,  as  they  were  healthy, 
full  of  flesh,  and  clean  in  their  persons. 
Their  language  was  somewhat  different,  but 
I  believe  chiefly  in  the  accent,  for  they  and 
our  guide  conversed  intelligibly  with  each 
other ;  and  the  English  chief  clearly  compre- 
hended one  of  them,  though  he  was  not  him- 
self understood. 

Their  arms  and  utensils  differ  but  little 
from  those  which  have  been  described  in  a 
former  chapter.  The  only  iron  they  have  is 
in  small  pieces,  which  serve  them  for  knives. 
They  obtain  this  metal  from  the  Esquimaux 
Indians.  Their  arrows  are  made  of  very  light 
wood,  and  are  winged  only  with  two  feathers ; 
their  bows  differed  from  any  which  we  had 
seen,  and  we  understood  that  they  were  fur- 
nished by  the  Esquimaux,  who  are  their 
neighbours :  they  consist  of  two  pieces,  with 
a  very  strong  cord  of  sinews  along  the  back, 
wliicli  is  tied  in  several  places,  to  preserve 
249 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

its  shape;  when  this  cord  becomes  wet,  it 
requires  a  strong  bow-string,  and  a  powerful 
arm  to  draw  it.  The  vessel  in  which  they 
prepare  their  food,  is  made  of  a  thin  frame 
of  wood,  and  of  an  oblong  shape ;  the  bottom 
4s  fixed  in  a  groove,  in  the  same  manner  as  a 
cask.  Their  shirts  are  not  cut  square  at  the 
bottom,  but  taper  to  a  point,  from  the  belt 
downwards  as  low  as  the  knee,  both  before 
and  beliind,  with  a  border,  embellished  with 
a  sliort  fringe.  They  use  also  another  fringe, 
similar  to  that  which  has  been  already  de- 
scribed, with  the  addition  of  the  stone  of  a 
grey  farinaceous  berry,  of  the  size  and  shape 
of  a  large  barley-corn :  it  is  of  a  brown  col- 
our, and  fluted,  and  being  bored  is  run  on 
each  string  of  the  fringe ;  with  this  they  dec- 
orate their  shirts,  by  sewing  it  in  a  semicircle 
on  the  breast  and  back,  and  crossing  over 
both  shoulders ;  the  sleeves  are  wide  and 
short,  but  the  mittens  supply  their  deficiency, 
as  they  are  long  enough  to  reach  over  a  part 
of  the  sleeve,  and  are  commodiously  sus- 
pended by  a  cord  from  the  neck.  If  their 
leggins  were  made  with  waistbands,  they 
might  with  great  propriety  be  denominated 
trousers  :  they  fasten  theni  with  a  cord  round 
the  middle,  so  that  they  appear  to  have  a 
sense  of  decency  which  their  neighbours  can 
not  boast.  Their  shoes  are  sewed  to  their 
leggins,  and  decorated  on  every  seam.  One 
250 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

of  the  men  was  clad  in  a  shirt  made  of  the 
skins  of  the  musk-rat.  The  dress  of  the 
women  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  men,  except 
in  their  shirts,  which  are  longer,  and  without 
the  finishing  of  a  fringe  on  their  breast. 
Their  peculiar  mode  of  tying  the  hair  is  as 
follows : — that  which  grows  on  the  temples, 
or  the  fore  part  of  the  skull,  is  formed  into 
two  queues,  hanging  down  before  the  ears ; 
that  of  the  scalp  or  crown  is  fashioned  in  the 
same  manner  to  the  back  of  the  neck,  and  is 
then  tied  with  the  rest  of  the  hair,  at  some 
distance  from  the  head.  A  thin  cord  is  em- 
ployed for  these  purposes,  and  very  neatly 
worked  with  hair,  artificially  coloured.  The 
women,  and,  indeed,  some  of  the  men,  let 
their  hair  hang  loose  on  their  shoulders, 
whether  it  be  long  or  short. 

We  purchased  a  couple  of  very  large  moose 
skins  from  them,  which  were  very  well 
dressed;  indeed  we  did  not  suppose  that 
there  were  any  of  those  animals  in  the  coun- 
try ;  and  it  appears  from  the  accounts  of  the 
natives  themselves,  that  they  are  very  scarce. 
As  for  the  beaver,  tlie  existence  of  such  a 
creature  does  not  seem  to  be  known  by  them. 
Our  people  bought  shirts  of  them,  and  many 
curious  articles,  &c.  They  presented  us  with 
a  most  delicious  fish,  which  was  less  than  a 
herring,  and  very  beautifully  spotted  with 
black  and  yellow :  its  dorsal  fin  reached  from 
251 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

the  head  to  the  tail;  in  its  expaiidinl  state 
takes  a  triaiigiilar  form,  and  is  variegated 
with  tlie  cok)nrs  that  enliven  the  scales :  the 
head  is  very  small,  and  the  mouth  is  armed 
with  sharp-pointed  teeth. 

We  prevailed  on  the  native,  whose  language 
was  most  intelligible,  to  accompany  us.  He 
informed  us  that  we  should  sleep  ten  nights 
more  before  we  arrived  at  the  sea;  that  sev- 
eral of  his  relations  resided  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  this  part  of  the  river,  and  that  in 
three  nights  we  should  meet  with  the  Esqui- 
maux, wnth  whom  they  had  formerly  made 
war,  but  were  now  in  a  state  of  peace  and 
amity.  He  mentioned  the  last  Indians  whom 
we  had  seen  in  terms  of  great  derision ;  de- 
scribing them  as  being  no  better  than  old 
women,  and  as  abominable  liars;  which  coin- 
cided with  the  notion  we  already  entertained 
of  them. 

As  we  pushed  off,  some  of  my  men  dis- 
charged their  fowling  pieces,  that  were  only 
loaded  with  powder,  at  the  report  of  which 
the  Indians  were  very  much  alarmed,  as  they 
had  not  before  heard  the  discharge  of  fire- 
arms. This  circumstance  had  such  an  effect 
upon  our  guide,  that  we  had  reason  to  ap- 
prehend he  would  not  fulfil  his  promise. 
When,  however,  he  was  informed  that  the 
noise  which  he  had  heard  was  a  signal  of 
friendship,  he  was  persuaded  to  embark  in 
252 


NORTH  WEST   CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

his  own  small  canoe,  though  he  had  been 
offered  a  seat  in  ours. 

Two  of  his  companions,  whom  he  repre- 
sented as  his  brothers,  followed  us  in  their 
canoes ;  and  they  amused  us  not  only  with 
their  native  songs,  but  with  others,  in  imita- 
tion of  the  Esquimaux ;  and  our  new  guide 
was  so  enlivened  by  them,  that  the  antics  he 
performed,  in  keeping  time  to  the  surging, 
alarmed  us  wuth  continual  apprehension  that 
his  boat  must  upset :  but  he  was  not  long 
content  with  his  confined  situation,  and  pad- 
dling up  alongside  our  canoe,  requested  us  to 
receive  him  in  it,  though  but  a  short  time  be- 
fore he  had  resolutely  refused  to  accept  our 
invitation.  Ko  sooner  had  he  entered  our 
canoe,  than  he  began  to  perform  an  Esqui- 
maux dance,  to  our  no  small  alarm.  He  Avas, 
however,  soon  prevailed  upon  to  be  more 
tranquil ;  when  he  began  to  display  various 
indecencies,  according  to  the  customs  of  the 
Esquimaux,  of  which  he  boasted  an  intimate 
acquaintance.  On  our  putting  to  shore,  in 
order  to  leave  his  canoe,  he  informed  us,  that 
on  the  opposite  hill  the  Esquimaux,  three 
winters  before,  killed  his  grandfather.  We 
saw  a  fox,  and  a  ground-hog  on  the  hill,  the 
latter  of  which  the  brother  of  our  guide  shot 
witli  his  bow  and  arrow. 

About  four  in  the  afternoon  we  perceived  a 
smoke  on  the  "West  shore,  when  we  traversed 
253 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIKOUGII  THE 

and  landed.  The  natives  made  a  most  ter- 
rible uproar,  talking  with  great  vociferation, 
and  running  about  as  if  they  were  deprived 
of  their  senses,  while  the  greater  part  of  the 
women,  with  the  children,  fled  away.  Per- 
ceiving the  disorder  which  our  appearance 
occasioned  among  these  people,  we  had  waited 
some  time  before  we  quitted  the  canoe ;  and 
I  liave  no  doubt,  if  we  had  been  Avithout 
people  to  introduce  us,  that  they  would  have 
attempted  some  violence  against  us ;  for  when 
the  Indians  send  away  their  women  and  chil- 
dren, it  is  always  with  a  hostile  design.  At 
length  we  pacified  them  with  the  usual  pres- 
ents, but  they  preferred  beads  to  any  of  the 
articles  that  I  offered  them ;  particularly  such 
as  were  of  a  blue  colour ;  and  one  of  them 
even  requested  to  exchange  a  knife  which  I 
had  given  him  for  a  small  quantity  of  those 
ornamental  baubles.  I  purchased  of  them 
two  shirts  for  my  hunters ;  and  at  the  same 
time  they  presented  me  with  some  arrows, 
and  dried  fish.  This  party  consisted  of  five 
families,  to  the  amount,  as  I  suppose,  of 
forty  men,  women,  and  children ;  but  I  did 
not  see  them  all,  as  several  were  afraid  to 
venture  from  their  hiding-places.  They  are 
called  DegiLthee  Dinees,  or  the  Quarrellers. 

Our  guide,  like  his  predecessors,  now  man- 
ifested his  wish  to  leave  us,  and  entertained 
similar  apprehensions  that  we  should  not  re- 
2b^: 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  A^IERICA. 

turn  by  this  passage.  He  had  his  alarms  also 
respecting  the  Esquimaux,  who  might  kill  us 
and  take  away  the  women.  Our  Indians, 
however,  assured  him  that  we  had  no  fears 
of  any  kind,  and  that  he  need  not  be  alarmed 
for  himself.  They  also  convinced  him  that 
we  should  return  by  the  way  we  were  going, 
so  that  he  consented  to  re-embark  without 
gi\dng  us  any  further  trouble ;  and  eight  small 
canoes  followed  us.  Our  courses  this  day 
were  South-West  by  West  six  miles,  South- 
West  by  South  thirty  miles,  South-West  three 
miles.  West  by  South  twelve  miles.  West  by 
North  two  miles,  and  we  encamped  at  eight 
in  the  evening  on  the  Eastern  bank  of  the 
river. 

The  Indians  whom  I  found  here,  informed 
me,  that  from  the  place  where  I  this  morning 
met  the  first  of  their  tribe,  the  distance  over- 
land, on  the  East  side,  to  the  sea,  was  not 
long,  and  that  from  hence,  by  proceeding  to 
the  Westward,  it  was  still  shorter.  They 
also  represented  the  land  on  both  sides  as 
projecting  to  a  point.  These  people  do  not 
appear  to  harbour  any  thievish  dispositions ; 
at  least  we  did  not  perceive  that  they  took, 
or  wanted  to  take,  anything  from  us  by  stealth 
or  artifice.  They  enjoyed  the  amusements  of 
dancing  and  jumping  in  common  with  those 
we  had  already  seen ;  and,  indeed,  these  ex- 
ercises seem  to  be  their  favourite  diversions. 
2o5 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   THK()l(;iI   THE 

About  mid-day  the  weather  was  sultry,  l)ut 
in  the  afternoon  it  became  cokl.  There  was 
a  large  quantity  of  wild  flax,  the  growth  of 
the  last  year,  laying  on  the  ground,  and  the 
new  plants  were  sprouting  up  through  it. 
This  circumstance  I  did  not  observe  in  any 
other  part. 

At  four  in  the  morning  we  embarked,  at  a 
small  distance  from  the  place  of  our  encamp- 
ment: the  river,  which  here  becomes  nar- 
rower, flows  between  high  rocks;  and  a 
meandering  course  took  us  North-West  four 
miles.  At  this  spot  the  banks  became  low ; 
indeed,  from  the  first  rapid,  the  country  does 
not  wear  a  mountainous  appearance ;  but  the 
banks  of  the  river  are  generally  lofty,  in 
some  places  perfectly  naked,  and  in  others 
well  covered  with  small  trees,  such  as  the  fir 
and  the  birch.  We  continued  our  last  course 
for  two  miles,  with  mountains  before  us, 
whose  tops  were  covered  with  snow. 

The  land  is  low  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
except  these  mountains,  whose  base  is  dis- 
tant about  ten  miles :  here  the  river  widens, 
and  runs  through  various  channels,  formed 
by  islands,  some  of  which  are  without  a  tree, 
and  little  more  than  banks  of  mud  and  sand ; 
while  others  are  covered  with  a  kind  of 
spruce  fir,  and  trees  of  a  larger  size  than  we 
had  seen  for  the  last  ten  days.  Their  banks, 
which  are  about  six  feet  above  the  surface  of 
256 


NOKTH  WEST  CONTmENT   OP  AMERICA. 

the  water,  display  a  face  of  solid  ice,  inter- 
mixed with  veins  of  black  earth,  and  as  the 
heat  of  the  sun  melts  the  ice,  the  trees  fre- 
quently fall  into  the  river. 

So  various  were  the  channels  of  the  river 
at  this  time,  that  we  were  at  a  loss  which  to 
take.  Our  guide  preferred  the  Easternmost, 
on  account  of  the  Esquimaux,  but  I  deter- 
mined to  take  the  middle  channel,  as  it  ap- 
peared to  be  a  larger  body  of  water,  and  run- 
ning North  and  South :  besides,  as  there  was 
a  greater  chance  of  seeing  them  I  concluded, 
that  we  could  always  go  to  the  Eastward, 
whenever  we  might  prefer  it.  Our  course 
was  now  West  b}^  North  six  miles,  North- 
West'  by  West,  the  snowy  mountains  being 
West  by  South  from  us,  and  stretching  to  the 
Northward  as  far  as  we  could  see.  Accord- 
ing to  the  information  of  the  Indians,  they 
are  part  of  the  chain  of  mountains  which  we 
approached  on  the  third  of  this  month.  I 
obtained  an  observation  this  day  that  gave 
me  67.  47.  North  latitude,  which  was  farther 
North  than  I  expected,  according  to  the 
course  I  kept :  but  the  difference  was  owing 
to  the  variation  of  the  compass,  which  was 
more  Easterly  than  I  imagined.  From  hence 
it  was  evident  that  these  waters  emptied 
themselves  into  the  Hyperborean  Sea;  and 
though  it  was  probable  that,  from  the  want 
of  provision,  we  could  not  return  to  Atha- 
17  257 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

basca  iu  the  course  of  the  season,  I  neverthe- 
less, determined  to  penetrate  to  the  discharge 
of  them. 

My  new  conductor  being  very  much  dis- 
couraged and  quite  tired  of  liis  situation, 
used  his  influence  to  prevent  our  proceeding. 
He  had  never  been,  he  said,  at  the  Benalixdlo 
Toe,  or  White  Man's  Lake;  and  that  when 
he  went  to  the  Esquimaux  Lake,  which  is  at 
no  great  distance,  he  passed  over  land  from 
the  place  where  we  found  him,  and  to  that 
part  where  the  Esquimaux  pass  the  summer. 
In  short,  my  hunters  also  became  so  disheart- 
ened from  these  accounts,  and  other  circum- 
stances, that  I  was  confident  they  would  have 
left  me,  if  it  had  been  in  their  powea-.  I, 
however,  satisfied  them  in  some  degree,  by 
the  assurance,  that  I  would  proceed  onwards 
but  seven  days  more,  and  if  I  did  not  then 
get  to  the  sea,  I  would  return.  Indeed,  the 
low  state  of  our  provisions,  without  any 
other  consideration,  formed  a  very  sufiicient 
security  for  the  maintenance  of  my  engage- 
ment. Our  last  course  was  thirty-two  miles, 
with  a  stronger  current  than  could  be  expected 
in  such  a  low  country. 

We  now  proceeded  North-North-West  four 
miles,  North-West  three  miles,  North-East 
two  miles,  North- West  by  West  three  miles, 
and  North-East  two  miles.  At  half  past 
eight  in  the  evening  we  landed  and  pitched 
258 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

our  tents,  near  to  where  there  had  beeu  three 
encampments  of  the  Esquimaux,  since  the 
breaking  up  of  the  ice.  The  natives,  who 
followed  us  yesterday,  left  us  at  our  station 
this  morning.  In  the  course  of  the  day  we 
saw  large  flocks  of  wild  fowl. 

Saturdarj,  11. — I  sat  up  all  night  to  ob- 
serve the  sun.  At  half  past  twelve  I  called 
up  one  of  the  men  to  view  a  sj)ectacle  which 
he  had  never  before  seen;  when,  on  seeing 
the  sun  so  high,  he  thought  it  was  a  signal 
to  embark,  and  began  to  call  the  rest  of  his 
companions,  who  would  scarcely  be  persuaded 
by  me,  that  the  sun  had  not  descended  nearer 
to  the  horizon,  and  that  it  was  now  but  a 
short  time  past  midnight. 

We  reposed,  however,  till  three  quarters 
after  three,  when  we  entered  the  canoe,  and 
steered  about  Xorth-West,  the  river  taking  a 
very  serpentine  course.  About  seven  we  saw 
a  ridge  of  high  land;  at  twelve  we  landed  at 
a  spot  where  we  observed  that  some  of  the 
natives  had  lately  been.  I  counted  thirty 
places  where  there  had  been  fires ;  and  some 
of  the  men  who  went  further,  saw  as  many 
more.  They  must  have  been  here  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  though  it  does  not  appear  that 
they  had  erected  any  huts.  A  great  number 
of  poles,  however,  were  seen  fixed  in  the 
river,  to  which  they  had  attached  their  nets, 
and  there  seemed  to  be  an  excellent  fishery. 
259 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

Oue  of  tlie  lisli,  of  the  many  which  we  saw 
leap  out  of  the  water,  fell  into  our  canoe ;  it 
was  about  ten  inches  long,  and  of  a  round 
shape.  About  the  places  wliere  they  had 
made  their  fires,  were  scattered  pieces  of 
whalebone,  and  thick  burned  leather,  with 
parts  of  the  frames  of  three  canoes ;  we  could 
also  observe  where  they  had  spilled  train  oil ; 
and  there  was  the  singular  appearance  of  a 
spruce  fir,  stripped  of  its  branches  to  the  top 
like  an  English  May-pole.  The  weather  was 
cloudy,  and  the  air  cold  and  unpleasant. 
From  this  place  for  about  five  miles,  the  river 
widens,  it  then  flows  in  a  variety  of  narrow, 
meandering  channels,  amongst  low  islands, 
enlivened  with  no  trees,  but  a  few  dwarf  wil- 
lows. 

At  four,  we  landed,  where  there  were  three 
houses,  or  rather  huts,  belonging  to  the  na- 
tives. The  ground-plot  is  of  an  oval  form, 
about  fifteen  feet  long,  ten  feet  wide  in  the 
middle,  and  eight  feet  at  either  end;  the 
whole  of  it  is  dug  about  twelve  inches  below 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  one  half  of  it 
is  covered  over  with  willow  branches ;  which 
probably  serves  as  a  bed  for  the  whole  family. 

A  space,  in  the  middle  of  the  other  part, 
of  about  four  feet  wide,  is  deepened  twelve 
inches  more,  and  is  the  only  spot  in  the  house 
where  a  grown  person  can  stand  upright. 
One  side  of  it  is  covered,  as  has  been  already 
260 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OP   AMERICA. 

described,  and  the  other  is  the  hearth  or  tire- 
place,  of  which,  however,  they  do  not  make 
much  use.  Though  it  was  close  to  the  wall, 
the  latter  did  uot  appear  to  be  burned.  Tlie 
door  or  entrance  is  in  the  middle  of  one  end 
of  the  house,  and  is  about  two  feet  and  an 
half  high,  and  two  feet  wide,  and  has  a  cov- 
ered way  or  })orch  five  feet  in  length ;  so  that 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  creep  on  all  fours 
in  order  to  get  into,  or  out  of,  this  curious 
habitation .  There  is  a  hole  of  about  eighteen 
inches  square  on  the  top  of  it,  which  serves 
the  threefold  purpose  of  a  window,  an  occa- 
sional door,  and  a  chimney.  The  under- 
ground part  of  the  floor  is  lined  with  split 
wood.  Six  or  eight  stumps  of  small  trees 
driven  into  the  earth,  with  the  root  upwards, 
on  which  are  laid  some  cross  pieces  of  timber, 
support  the  roof  of  the  building,  which  is  an 
oblong  square  of  ten  feet  by  six.  The  whole 
is  made  of  drift-wood  covered  with  branches 
and  dry-grass ;  over  which  is  laid  a  foot  deep 
of  earth.  On  each  side  of  these  houses  are  a 
few  square  holes  in  the  ground  of  about  two 
feet  in  depth,  which  are  covered  with  s})lit 
wood  and  earth,  except  in  the  middle.  These 
appeared  to  be  contrived  for  the  preservation 
of  the  winter  stock  of  provisions.  In  and 
about  the  houses  we  found  sledge  runners  and 
bones,  pieces  of  whalebone,  and  poplar  bark 
cut  in  circles,  which  are  used  as  corks  to  buoy 
261 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

the  nets,  and  are  fixed  to  tlieni  by  })it'ees  of 
whalebone.  Before  each  hut  a  great  nuiuber 
of  stumps  of  trees  were  fixed  in  the  ground, 
upon  which  it  appeared  tliat  tliey  hung  their 
fish  to  dry. 

We  now  continued  our  voyage,  and  en- 
camped at  eight  o'clock.  I  calculated  our 
course  at  about  North-West,  and,  allowing 
for  the  windings,  that  we  had  made  fifty-four 
miles.  We  expected,  throughout  the  day,  to 
meet  with  some  of  the  natives.  On  several 
of  the  islands  we  perceived  the  print  of  their 
feet  in  the  sand,  as  if  they  had  been  there 
but  a  few  days  before,  to  pi-ocure  wild  fowl. 
There  were  frequent  showers  of  rain  in  the 
afternoon,  and  the  weather  was  raw  and  dis- 
agreeable. We  saw  a  black  fox;  but  trees 
were  now  become  very  rare  objects,  except  a 
few  dwarf  willows,  of  not  more  than  three 
feet  in  height. 

The  discontents  of  our  hunters  were  now 
renewed  by  the  accounts  which  our  guide  had 
been  giving  of  that  part  of  our  voyage  that 
was  approaching.  According  to  his  informa- 
tion, we  were  to  see  a  larger  lake  on  the 
morrow.  Neither  he  nor  his  relations,  he 
said,  knew  any  thing  about  it,  except  that 
part  which  is  opjjosite  to,  and  not  far  from, 
their  country.  The  Esquimaux  alone,  he 
added,  inhabit  its  shores,  and  kill  a  large  fish 
that  is  found  in  it,  which  is  a  principal  part 
202 


KORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMEEICA. 

of  their  food ;  this,  we  presumed,  must  be  the 
whale.  He  also  mentioued  white  bears,  and 
another  large  animal  which  was  seen  in  those 
parts,  but  our  hunters  could  not  understand 
the  description  which  he  gave  of  it.  He  also 
represented  their  canoes  as  being  of  a  large 
construction,  which  would  commodiously 
contain  four  or  five  families.  However,  to 
reconcile  the  English  chief  to  the  necessary- 
continuance  in  my  service,  I  presented  him 
with  one  of  my  capotes  or  travelling  coats ; 
at  the  same  time,  to  satisfy  the  guide,  and 
keep  him,  if  possible,  in  good  humour,  I  gave 
him  a  skin  of  the  moose-deer,  which,  in  his 
opinion,  was  a  valuable  present. 

Sunday,  12. — It  rained  with  violence 
throughout  the  night,  and  till  two  in  the 
morning ;  the  weather  continuing  very  cold. 
We  proceeded  on  the  same  meandering  course 
as  yesterday,  the  wind  Xorth-Xorth-West, 
and  the  country  so  naked  that  scarce  a  shrub 
was  to  be  seen.  At  ten  in  the  morning,  we 
landed  Avhere  there  were  four  huts,  exactly 
the  same  as  those  which  have  been  so  lately 
described.  The  adjacent  land  is  high  and 
covered  with  short  grass  and  flowers,  though 
the  earth  was  not  thawed  above  four  inches 
from  the  surface ;  beneath  which  was  a  solid 
body  of  ice.  This  beautiful  appearance, 
however,  was  strangely  contrasted  with  tlie 
ice  and  snow  that  are  seen  in  the  valleys. 
263 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

The  soil,  where  there  is  any,  is  a  yellow  clay 
mixed  with  stones.  These  huts  appear  to 
have  been  inhabited  during  the  last  winter; 
and  we  had  reason  to  tliink  that  some  of 
the  natives  had  been  lately  there,  as  the 
beach  was  covered  with  the  track  of  their 
feet.  Many  of  tlie  runners  and  bars  of  their 
sledges  were  laid  together,  near  the  houses, 
in  a  manner  that  seemed  to  denote  the  return 
of  the  proprietors.  There  were  also  pieces 
of  netting  made  of  sinews,  and  some  bark  of 
the  Avillow.  The  thread  of  the  former  was 
plaited,  and  no  ordinary  portion  of  time  must 
have  been  employed  in  manufacturing  so  great 
a  length  of  cord.  A  square  stone-kettle,  with 
a  flat  bottom,  also  occupied  our  attention, 
which  was  capable  of  containing  two  gallons ; 
and  we  were  puzzled  as  to  the  means  these 
people  must  have  employed  to  have  chiselled 
it  out  of  a  solid  rock  into  its  present  form. 
To  these  articles  may  be  added,  small  pieces 
of  flint  fixed  into  handles  of  wood,  which 
probably  serve  as  knives;  several  wooden 
dishes ;  the  stern  and  part  of  a  large  canoe ; 
pieces  of  very  thick  leather,  which  we  con- 
jectured to  be  the  covering  of  a  canoe ;  sev- 
eral bones  of  large  fish,  and  two  heads ;  but 
we  could  not  determine  the  animal  to  which 
they  belonged,  though  we  conjectured  tliat  it 
must  be  the  sea-horse. 

When  we  had  satisfied  our  curiosity  we  re- 
264 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

embarked,  but  we  Avere  at  a  loss  what  course 
to  steer,  as  our  guide  seemed  to  be  as  igno- 
rant of  this  country  as  ourselves.  Though  the 
current  was  very  strong,  we  appeared  to  have 
come  to  the  entrance  of  the  lake.  The  stream 
set  to  the  West,  and  we  went  with  it  to  an 
high  point,  at  the  distance  of  about  eight 
miles,  which  we  conjectured  to  be  an  island ; 
but,  on  approaching  it,  we  perceived  it  to  be 
connected  with  the  shore  by  a  low  neck  of 
land.  I  now  took  an  observation  which  gave 
69.  1.  North  latitude.  From  the  point  that 
has  been  just  mentioned,  we  continued  the 
same  course  for  the  Westernmost  point  of  an 
high  island,  and  the  AVesternmost  land  in 
sight,  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  miles. 

The  lake  Avas  quite  open  to  us  to  the  West- 
ward, and  out  of  the  channel  of  the  river 
there  was  not  more  than  four  feet  water,  and 
in  some  places  the  depth  did  not  exceed  one 
foot.  From  the  shallowness  of  the  water  it 
was  impossible  to  coast  to  the  W^estward.  At 
five  o'clock  we  arrived  at  the  island,  and 
during  the  last  fifteen  miles,  five  feet  was  the 
deepest  water.  The  lake  now  a})peared  to 
be  covered  with  ice,  for  about  two  leagues 
distance,  and  no  land  ahead,  so  that  we  were 
prevented  from  proceeding  in  this  direction 
by  the  ice,  and  the  shallowness  of  the  water 
along  the  shore. 

We  lauded  at  the  boundary  of  our  voyage 
205 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

in  tins  direction,  and  as  soon  as  the  tents 
were  pitched  I  ordered  the  nets  to  be  set, 
Avhen  1  proceeded  with  the  English  chief  to 
the  highest  part  of  the  island,  from  which  we 
discovered  the  solid  ice,  extending  from  the 
South- West  by  compass  to  the  Eastward.  As 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  to  the  South- West- 
ward, we  could  dimly  perceive  a  chain  of 
mountains,  stretching  further  to  the  North 
than  the  edge  of  the  ice,  at  the  distance  of 
upwards  of  twenty  leagues.  To  the  Eastward 
we  saw  many  islands,  and  in  our  progress  we 
met  with  a  considerable  number  of  Avhite 
partridges,  now  become  brown.  There  were 
also  flocks  of  very  beautiful  plovers,  and  I 
found  the  nest  of  one  of  them  with  four  eggs. 
White  owls,  likewise,  were  among  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  place :  but  the  dead,  as  well  as 
the  living,  demanded  our  attention,  for  we 
came  to  the  grave  of  one  of  the  natives,  by 
which  lay  a  bow,  a  paddle,  and  a  spear.  The 
Indians  informed  me  that  they  landed  on  a 
small  island,  about  four  leagues  from  hence, 
where  they  had  seen  the  tracks  of  two  men, 
that  were  quite  fresh ;  they  had  also  found  a 
secret  store  of  train  oil,  and  several  bones  of 
white  bears  were  scattered  about  the  place 
where  it  was  hid.  The  wind  was  now  so 
high  that  it  was  impracticable  for  us  to  visit 
the  nets. 

My  people  could  not,  at  this  time,  refrain 
2GG 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

from  expressions  of  real  concern,  that  they 
were  obliged  to  return  without  reaching  the 
sea :  indeed,  the  hope  of  attaining  this  object 
encouraged  tliem  to  bear,  without  repining, 
the  hardships  of  our  unremitting  voyage. 
For  some  time  past  their  spirits  were  ani- 
mated by  the  expectation  tliat  another  day 
would  bring  them  to  tlie  Mer  iVviiest:  and 
even  in  our  present  situation  they  declared 
their  readiness  to  follow  me  wherever  I 
should  be  pleased  to  lead  them.  We  saw  sev- 
eral large  white  gulls,  and  other  birds,  whose 
back,  and  upper  feathers  of  the  wing  are 
brown ;  and  whose  belly,  and  under  feathers 
of  the  wins  are  white. 


2G7 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 


CHAPTER   Y. 

JULY,  1789. 

Monday,  13. — We  had  no  sooner  retired  to 
rest  last  night,  if  I  may  use  that  expression, 
in  a  country  where  the  sun  never  sinks  be- 
neath the  horizon,  than  some  of  the  people 
were  obliged  to  rise  and  remove  the  baggage, 
on  account  of  the  rising  of  the  water.  At 
eight  in  the  morning  the  weather  was  fine 
and  calm,  which  afforded  an  opportunity  to 
examine  the  nets,  one  of  which  had  been 
driven  from  its  position  by  the  wind  and  cur- 
rent. We  caught  seven  poissons  inconnus, 
which  were  unpalatal)le;  a  white  fish,  that 
proved  delicious ;  and  another  about  tlie  size 
of  an  herring,  which  none  of  us  had  ever  seen 
before,  except  the  English  chief,  who  recog- 
nised it  as  being  of  a  kind  that  abounds  in 
Hudson's  Bay.  About  noon  the  wind  blew 
hard  from  the  Westward,  when  I  took  an  ob- 
servation, which  gave  G9.  14.  North  latitude, 
and  the  meridian  variation  of  the  compass 
was  thirty-six  degrees  Eastward.* 

This  afternoon  I  re-ascended  the  hill,  but 
could  not  discover  that  the  ice  had  been  put 

*  The  longitude  has  since  been  discovered,  by  the 
dead  reckoning,  to  be  135.  West. 
268 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

in  motiou  by  the  force  of  the  wind.  At  the 
same  time  I  could  just  distinguish  two  small 
islands  in  the  ice,  to  the  North-West  by  com- 
pass. I  now  thought  it  necessary  to  give  a 
new  net  to  my  men  to  mount,  in  order  to  ob- 
tain as  much  provision  as  possible  from  the 
water,  our  stores  being  reduced  to  about  five 
hundred  weight,  which,  without  any  other 
supply,  would  not  have  sufficed  for  fifteen 
people  above  twelve  days.  One  of  the  young 
Indians,  however,  was  so  fortunate  as  to  find 
the  net  that  had  been  missing,  and  which  con- 
tained three  of  the  poissons  inconnus. 

Tuesday,  11^. — It  blew  very  hard  from  the 
Korth-West  since  the  preceding  evenmg. 
Having  sat  up  till  three  in  the  morning,  I 
slept  longer  than  usual ;  but  about  eight  one 
of  my  men  saw  a  great  many  animals  in  the 
water,  Avhich  he  at  first  supposed  to  be  pieces 
of  ice.  About  nine,  however,  I  was  awakened 
to  resolve  the  doubts  which  had  taken  place 
respecting  this  extraordinary  appearance.  I 
immediately  perceived  that  they  Avere  whales ; 
and  having  ordered  the  canoe  to  be  prepared, 
we  embarked  in  pursuit  of  them.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  very  wild  and  unreflecting  enterprise, 
and  it  was  a  very  fortunate  circumstance  that 
we  failed  in  our  attempt  to  overtake  them, 
as  a  stroke  from  the  tail  of  one  of  these  enor- 
mous fish  would  have  dashed  the  canoe  to 
pieces.  We  may,  perhaps,  have  been  in- 
269 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

tlebtod  to  the  foggy  weather  for  our  safety, 
as  it  prevented  us  from  continuing  our  pur- 
suit. Our  guide  infornunl  us  that  they  arc 
the  same  kind  of  fish  wliicli  are  the  princi])al 
food  of  the  Esquimaux,  and  they  were  fre- 
quently seen  as  large  as  our  canoe.  The  part 
of  them  which  appeared  above  the  water  was 
altogether  white,  and  they  were  much  larger 
than  the  largest  porpoise. 

About  twelve  the  fog  dispersed,  and  being 
curious  to  take  a  view  of  the  ice,  I  gave 
orders  for  the  canoe  to  be  got  in  readiness. 
We  accordingly  embarked,  and  the  Indians 
followed  us.  We  had  not,  however,  been  an 
hour  on  the  water,  when  the  wind  rose  on  a 
sudden  from  the  North-East,  and  obliged  us 
to  tack  about,  and  the  return  of  the  fog  pre- 
vented us  from  ascertaining  our  distance  from 
the  ice;  indeed,  from  this  circumstance,  the 
island  which  we  had  so  lately  left  was  but 
dimly  seen.  Though  the  wind  was  close,  we 
ventured  to  hoist  the  sail,  and  from  the  vio- 
lence of  the  swell  it  was  by  great  exertions 
that  two  men  could  bale  out  the  water  from 
our  canoe.  We  were  in  a  state  of  actual 
danger,  and  felt  every  corresponding  emotion 
of  pleasure  when  we  reached  the  land.  The 
Indians  had  fortunately  got  more  to  wind- 
ward, so  that  the  swell  in  some  measure  drove 
them  on  shore,  though  their  canoes  were 
nearly  filled  with  water ;  and  had  they  been 
270 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

ladeu,  we  should  have  seen  them  uo  more. 
As  I  did  not  propose  to  satisfy  my  curiosity 
at  the  risk  of  similar  dangers,  we  continued 
our  course  along  the  islands,  which  screened 
us  from  the  wind.  I  was  now  determined  to 
take  a  more  particular  examination  of  the 
islands,  in  the  hope  of  meeting  with  parties  of 
the  natives,  from  whom  I  might  be  able  to 
obtain  some  interesting  intelligence,  though 
our  conductor  discouraged  my  expectations, 
by  representing  them  as  very  shy  and  inac- 
cessible people.  At  the  same  time  he  in- 
formed me,  that  we  should  probably  find 
some  of  them,  if  we  navigated  the  channel 
which  he  had  originally  recommended  us  to 
enter. 

At  eight  we  encamped  on  the  Eastern  end 
of  the  island,  which  I  had  named  the  Whale 
Island.  It  is  about  seven  leagues  in  length. 
East  and  West  by  compass;  but  not  more 
than  half  a  mile  in  breadth.  We  saw  several 
red  foxes,  one  of  which  was  killed.  There 
Avere  also  five  or  six  very  old  huts  on  the 
point  where  Ave  had  taken  our  station.  The 
nets  were  now  set,  and  one  of  them  in  five 
fathom  water,  the  current  setting  Xorth-East 
by  compass.  This  morning  I  ordered  a  jjost 
to  be  erected  close  to  our  tents,  on  which  I 
engraved  the  latitude  of  the  place,  my  own 
name,  the  number  of   persons  which   I  had 

with  me,  and  the  time  we  remained  there. 
271 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

Wednesday,  15. — Being  awakened  by  some 
casual  circumstance,  at  four  this  morning,  T 
was  surprised  on  perceiving  that  the  water 
had  flowed  under  our  baggage.  As  the  wind 
had  not  changed,  and  did  not  blow  with 
greater  violence  than  when  we  went  to  rest, 
we  were  all  of  opinion  that  this  circumstance 
proceeded  from  the  tide.  We  had,  indeed, 
observed  at  the  other  end  of  the  island,  that 
the  water  rose  and  fell ;  but  we  then  imagined 
that  it  must  have  been  occasioned  by  the 
wind.  The  water  continued  to  rise  till  about 
six,  but  I  could  not  ascertain  the  time  with 
the  requisite  precision,  as  the  wind  then  be- 
gan to  blow  with  great  violence ;  I  therefore 
determined,  at  all  events,  to  remain  here  till 
the  next  morning,  though,  as  it  happened, 
the  state  of  the  wind  was  such,  as  to  render 
my  stay  here  an  act  of  necessity.  Our  nets 
were  not  very  successful,  as  they  presented 
us  with  only  eight  fish.  From  an  observa- 
tion which  I  obtained  at  noon  we  were  in  69. 
7.  North  latitude.  As  the  evening  ap- 
proached, the  wind  increased,  and  the  weather 
became  cold.  Two  swans  were  the  only 
provision  which  the  hunters  procured  for 
us. 

Thursday,  16. — The  rain  did  not  cease  till 
seven  this  morning,  the  weather  being  at  in- 
tervals very  cold  and  unpleasant.  Such  was 
its  inconstancy,  that  I  could  not  make  an 
272 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  A^IERICA. 

accurate  observation;  but  the  tide  appeared 
to  rise  sixteen  or  eighteen  inches. 

AVe  now  embarked,  and  steered  under  sail 
among  the  islands,  where  I  hoped  to  meet  with 
some  of  the  natives,  but  my  expectation  was 
not  gratified.  Our  guide  imagined  that  they 
were  gone  to  their  distant  haunts,  where  they 
fish  for  whales  and  hunt  the  rein-deer,  that 
are  opposite  to  his  country.  His  relations, 
he  said,  see  them  every  year,  but  he  did  not 
encourage  lis  to  expect  that  we  should  find 
any  of  them,  unless  it  were  at  a  small  river 
that  falls  into  the  great  one,  from  the  East- 
ward, at  a  considerable  distance  from  our  im- 
mediate situation.  We  accordingly  made  for 
the  river,  and  stemmed  the  current.  At  two 
in  the  afternoon  the  water  was  quite  shallow 
in  every  part  of  our  course,  and  we  could  al- 
ways find  the  bottom  with  the  paddle.  At 
seven  Ave  landed,  encamped,  and  set  the. 
nets.  Here  the  Indians  killed  two  geese,  two 
cranes,  and  a  white  owl.  Since  we  entered 
the  river,  we  experienced  a  very  agreeable 
change  in  the  temperature  of  the  air ;  but  this 
pleasant  circumstance  was  not  without  its  in- 
convenien(!e,  as  it  subjected  us  to  the  perse- 
cution of  the  mosquitoes. 

Friday,  17. — On  taking  up  the  nets,  they 
"\\'ere  found  to  contain  but  six  fish.     We  em- 
barked at  four  in  the  morning,  and  passed 
four  encampments ;  which  appeared  to  have 
18  273 


JOURNAL  OP"  A  VOYAGE    IIIIJorOIT   THE 

been  very  lately  inhabited.  We  then  lauded 
upon  a  small  round  island,  close  to  the  East- 
ern shore,  which  possessed  somewhat  of  a 
sacred  character,  as  tlie  top  of  it  seemed  to 
be  a  place  of  sepulture,  from  the  numerous 
graves  which  we  observed  there.  We  found 
the  frame  of  a  small  canoe,  with  various 
dishes,  troughs,  and  other  utensils,  which 
had  been  the  living  property  of  those  who 
could  now  use  them  no  more,  and  form  the 
ordinary  accompaniments  of  their  last  abodes. 
'  As  no  part  of  the  skins  that  must  have  cov- 
ered the  canoe  was  remaining,  we  concluded 
that  it  had  been  eaten  by  wild  animals  that 
inhabit,  or  occasionally  frequent,  the  island. 
The  frame  of  the  canoe,  which  was  entire, 
was  put  together  with  whale-bone;  it  was 
sewed  in  some  parts,  and  tied  in  others.  The 
sledges  were  from  four  to  eight  feet  long ;  the 
length  of  the  bars  was  upwards  of  two  feet ; 
the  runners  were  two  inches  thick  and  nine 
inches  deep ;  the  prow  was  two  feet  and  an 
half  high,  and  formed  of  two  pieces,  sewed 
with  whalebone,  to  three  other  thin  spars  of 
wood,  which  were  of  the  same  height;  and 
fixed  in  the  runners  by  means  of  mortises, 
were  sewed  two  thin  broad  bars  lengthways, 
at  a  small  distance  from  each  other;  these 
frames  were  fixed  together  with  three  or  four 
cross  bars,  tied  fast  upon  the  runners,  and  on 
the  lower  edge  of  the  latter,  small  pieces  of 
274 


NOKTH-WEST   CONTINENT  OF  A3I  ERICA. 

horn  were  fastened  by  wooden  pegs,  that  they 
might  slide  with  greater  facility.  They  are 
drawn  by  shafts,  which  I  imagine  are  applied 
to  any  particular  sledge  as  they  are  wanted 
as  I  saw  no  more  than  one  pair  of  them. 

About  half  past  one  we  came  opposite  to 
the  first  spruce-tree  that  we  had  seen  for 
some  time :  there  are  but  very  few  of  them 
on  the  main  land,  and  they  are  very  small : 
those  are  larger  which  are  found  on  the 
islands,  where  they  grow  in  patches,  and 
close  together.  It  is,  indeed,  very  extraor- 
dinary that  there  should  be  any  wood  what- 
ever in  a  country  where  the  ground  never 
thaws  above  five  inches  from  the  surface. 
AVe  landed  at  seven  in  the  evening.  The 
weather  was  now  very  pleasant,  and  in  the 
course  of  the  day  we  saw  great  numbers  of 
wild  fowl,  with  their  young  ones,  but  they 
were  so  shy  that  we  could  not  approach  them. 
The  Indians  were  not  very  successful  in  their 
foraging  party,  as  they  killed  only  two  grey 
cranes,  and  a  grey  goose.  Two  of  them  were 
employed  on  the  high  land  to  the  Eastward, 
through  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  in  search 
of  rein-deer,  but  they  could  discover  notliing 
more  than  a  few  tracks  of  that  animal.  I  also 
ascended  the  high  land,  from  whence  I  had 
a  delightful  view  of  the  river,  divided  into 
innumerable  streams,  meandering  through 
islands,  some  of  which  were  covered  with 
275 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH   THE 

wood,  and  others  witli  grass.  The  moun- 
tains, that  formed  the  opposite  horizon,  were 
at  the  distance  of  forty  miles.  Tlie  inland 
view  was  neither  so  extensive  nor  agreeable, 
being  terminated  by  a  near  range  of  bleak, 
barren  hills,  between  which  are  small  lakes 
or  ])onds,  while  tlie  surrounding  country  is 
covered  with  tufts  of  moss,  without  the  shade 
of  a  single  tree.  Along  the  hills  is  a  kind  of 
fence,  made  with  branches,  where  the  natives 
had  set  snares  to  catch  white   i)artridges. 

Sattmlaij,  18. — The  nets  did  not  produce 
a  single  fish,  and  at  three  o'clock  in  tlie 
morning  we  took  our  de})arture.  Tlie  weather 
was  line  and  clear,  and  we  passed  several  en- 
campments. As  the  })rints  of  human  feet 
were  very  fresh  in  the  sand,  it  could  not  have 
been  long  since  the  natives  had  visited  the 
spot.  We  now  proceeded  in  tlie  hope  of 
meeting  witli  some  of  them  at  the  river, 
whither  our  guide  was  conducting  us  with 
that  expectation.  We  observed  a  great  num- 
ber of  trees,  in  different  places,  whose 
branches  had  been  lopped  off  to  the  tops. 
They  denote  the  immediate  abode  of  the  na- 
tives, and  probably  serve  for  signals  to  direct 
each  other  to  their  respective  winter-cpiarters. 
Our  hunters,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  killed 
two  rein-deer,  which  were  the  only  large  ani- 
mals that  we  had  seen  since  we  had  been  in 
this  river,  and  proved  a  very  seasonable  sup- 
27(J 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

ply,  as  our  pemmiean  had  become  mouldy  for 
some  time  past ;  though  in  that  situation  we 
were  under  the  necessity  of  eating  it. 

In  the  valleys  and  low  lands  near  the 
river,  cranberries  are  found  in  great  abun- 
dance, particularly  in  favourable  aspects.  It 
is  a  singular  circumstance,  that  the  fruit  of 
two  succeeding  years  may  be  gathered  at  the 
same  time,  from  the  same  shrub.  Here  was 
also  another  berry,  of  a  very  })ale  yellow  col- 
our, that  resembles  a  raspberry,  and  is  of  a 
very  agreeable  flavour.  There  is  a  great 
variety  of  other  plants  and  herbs,  whose 
names  and  properties  are  unknown  to 
me. 

The  weather  became  cold  towards  the  after- 
noon, with  the  appearance  of  rain,  and  we 
landed  for  the  night  at  seven  in  the  evening. 
The  Indians  killed  eight  geese.  During  the 
greater  part  of  the  day  I  walked  with  the 
English  chief,  and  found  it  very  disagreeable 
and  fatiguing.  Though  the  country  is  so 
elevated,  it  was  one  continual  morass,  except 
on  the  summits  of  some  barren  hills.  As  I 
carried  my  hanger  in  my  hand,  I  frequently 
examined  if  any  part  of  the  ground  was  in  a 
state  of  thaw,  but  could  never  force  the  blad(; 
into  it,  beyond  the  depth  of  six  or  eight 
inches.  The  face  of  the  high  land,  towards 
the  river,  is  in  some  places  rocky,  and  in 
others  a  mixture  of  sand  and  stone,  veined 
277 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

"witli  a  kind  of  red  earth,  wiili  wiiicli  tlie  na- 
tives bedaub  themselves. 

Sundaii,  10. — It  rained,  and  blew  hard  from 
the  North,  till  eight  in  the  morning,  when 
we  discovered  that  oar  conductor  had  escaped. 
I  was,  indeed,  surprised  at  his  honesty,  as  lie 
left  the  moose-skin  which  I  had  given  him 
for  a  covering,  and  went  off  in  his  shirt, 
though  the  weather  was  very  cold.  I  in- 
quired of  the  Indians  if  they  had  given  him 
any  cause  of  offence,  or  liad  observed  any  re- 
cent disposition  in  him  to  desert  us,  but  they 
assured  me  that  they  had  not  in  any  instance 
dis})leased  him :  at  the  same  time  they  recol- 
lected that  he  had  expressed  his  apprehen- 
sions of  being  taken  away  as  a  slave ;  and  his 
alarms  were  probably  increased  on  the  preced- 
ing day,  when  he  saw  them  kill  the  tAvo  rein- 
deer with  so  much  readiness.  In  the  after- 
noon the  weather  became  fine  and  clear,  when 
we  saw  large  flights  of  geese  with  their  young 
ones,  and  the  hunters  killed  twenty-two  of 
them.  As  they  had  at  this  time  cast  their 
feathers,  they  could  not  fly.  They  were  of 
a  small  kind,  and  much  inferior  in  size  to 
those  that  frequent  the  vicinity  of  Athabasca. 
At  eight,  we  took  our  station  near  an  Indian 
encampment,  and,  as  we  had  observed  in  sim- 
ilar situations,  pieces  of  bone,  rein-deer's 
horn,  &c.,  were  scattered  about  it.  It  also 
appeared,  that  the  natives  had  been  employed 

97« 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

here  in  working  wood  into  arms,  uten- 
sils, &c. 

Monday,  20. — "We  embarked  at  three  this 
morning,  when  the  weather  was  cloudy,  with 
small  rain  and  aft  wind.  About  twelve  the 
rain  became  so  violent  as  to  compel  us  to  en- 
camp at  two  in  the  afternoon.  We  saw  great 
numbers  of  fowl,  and  killed  among  us  fifteen 
geese  and  four  swans.  Had  the  weather 
been  more  favourable,  we  should  have  added 
considerably  to  our  booty.  We  now  passed 
the  river,  where  we  expected  to  meet  some  of 
the  natives,  but  discovered  no  signs  of  them. 
The  ground  close  to  the  river  does  not  rise 
to  any  considerable  height,  and  the  hills, 
which  are  at  a  small  distance,  are  covered 
with  the  spruce  fir  and  small  birch  trees,  to 
their  very  summits. 

Tuesday,  21. — We  embarked  at  half  past 
one  this  morning,  when  the  weather  was  cold 
and  unpleasant,  and  the  wind  South-West. 
At  ten,  we  left  the  channels  formed  by  the 
islands  for  the  uninterrupted  channel  of  the 
river,  where  we  found  the  current  so  strong, 
that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  tow  the 
canoe  with  a  line.  The  land  on  both  sides 
was  elevated,  and  almost  perpendicular,  and 
the  shore  beneath  it,  which  is  of  no  great 
breadth,  was  covered  with  a  grey  stone  that 
falls  from  the  precipice.  We  made  much 
greater  expedition  with  the  line,  than  we 
279 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TimOUGII  THE 

could  have  done  with  the  paddles.  The  men 
mthe  canoe  relieved  two  of  those  on  shore 
every  two  hours,  so  that  it  was  very  hard  and 
fatiguing  duty,  but  it  saved  a  great  deal  of  that 
time  which  was  so  precious  to  us.  At  half 
past  eight  we  landed  at  the  same  spot  where 
we  had  already  encamped  on  the  ninth  in- 
stant. 

In  about  an  hour  after  our  arrival,  we  were 
joined  by  eleven  of  the  natives,  who  were 
stationed  farther  up  the  river,  and  there  were 
some  among  them  whom  we  had  not  seen 
during  our  former  visit  to  this  place.  The 
brother  of  our  late  guide,  however,  was  of 
the  party,  and  was  eager  in  his  inquiries  after 
him ;  but  our  account  did  not  prove  satisfac- 
tory. They  all  gave  evident  tokens  of  their 
suspicion,  and  each  of  them  made  a  distinct 
harangue  on  the  occasion.  Our  Indians,  in- 
deed, did  not  understand  their  eloquence, 
though  they  conjectured  it  to  be  very  unfa- 
vourable to  our  assertions.  The  brother, 
nevertheless,  proposed  to  barter  his  credulity 
for  a  small  quantity  of  beads,  and  promised 
to  believe  everything  I  should  say,  if  I  would 
gratify  him  with  a  few  of  those  baubles ;  but 
he  did  not  succeed  in  his  proposition,  and  I 
contented  myself  with  giving  him  the  bcnv 
and  arrows  which  our  conductor  liad  left  witli 
us. 

My  people  were  now  necessarily  engaged 
280 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

in  putting  the  ti re-arms  in  order,  after  the 
violent  rain  of  the  preceding  day ;  an  employ- 
ment which  very  much  attracted  the  curios- 
ity, and  appeared  in  some  degree,  to  awaken 
the  apprehensions  of  the  natives.  To  their 
inquiries  concerning  the  motives  of  our  prep- 
aration, we  answered  by  showing  a  piece  of 
meat  and  a  goose,  and  informing  them,  that 
we  were  preparing  our  arms  to  procure  sim- 
ilar provisions :  at  the  same  time  we  assured 
them,  though  it  Avas  our  intention  to  kill  any 
animals  we  might  find,  there  was  no  inten- 
tion to  hurt  or  injure  them.  They,  however, 
entreated  us  not  to  discharge  our  pieces  in 
their  presence.  I  requested  the  English  chief 
to  ask  them  some  questions,  which  they  either 
did  not  or  would  not  understand ;  so  that  I 
failed  in  obtaining  any  information  from 
them. 

All  my  people  went  to  rest ;  but  I  thought 
it  prudent  to  sit  up,  in  order  to  watch  the 
motions  of  the  natives.  This  circumstance 
was  a  subject  of  their  inquiry ;  and  their 
curiosity  was  still  more  excited,  when  they 
saw  me  employed  in  writing.  About  twelve 
o'clock  I  perceived  four  of  their  women  com- 
ing along  the  shore  ;  and  they  were  no  sooner 
seen  by  their  friends,  than  they  ran  hastily 
to  meet  them,  and  persuaded  two  of  them, 
who,  I  suppose,  were  young,  to  return,  wliih' 
tliey  brought  the  other  two,  wlio  were  very 
281 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  TITROUOH  THE 

old,  to  enjoy  the  warmth  of  our  fire ;  but, 
after  staying  there  for  about  half  an  hour, 
they  also  retreated.  Those  who  remained, 
immediately  kindled  a  small  fire,  and  laid 
themselves  down  to  sleep  round  it,  like  so 
many  whelps,  having  neither  skins  or  gar- 
ments of  any  kind  to  cover  them,  notwith- 
standing the  cold  that  ])revailed.  My  people 
having  i)laced  their  kettle  of  meat  on  the  fire, 
I  was  obliged  to  guard  it  from  the  natives, 
who  made  several  attempts  to  possess  them- 
selves of  its  contents ;  and  this  was  the  only 
instance  I  had  hitherto  discovered,  of  their 
being  influenced  by  a  pilfering  disposition. 
It  might,  perhaps,  be  a  general  opinion,  that 
provisions  were  a  common  property.  I  now 
saw  the  sun  set  for  the  first  time  since  I  had 
been  here  before.  During  the  preceding 
night,  the  weather  was  so  cloudy,  that  I  could 
not  observe  its  descent  to  the  horizon.  The 
water  had  sunk,  at  this  place,  upward  of 
three  feet  since  we  had  passed  down  the  river. 
Wednesday,  22. — We  began  our  march  at 
half  past  three  this  morning,  the  men  being 
employed  to  tow  the  canoe.  I  walked  with 
the  Indians  to  their  huts,  which  were  at  a 
greater  distance  than  I  had  any  reason  to  ex- 
pect, for  it  occupied  three  hours  in  hard  walk- 
ing to  reach  them.  AVe  passed  a  narrow,  and 
deep  river  in  our  way,  at  the  mouth  of  which 
the  natives  had  set  their  nets.  They  liad  hid 
282 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

their  effects,  and  sent  their  young  women 
into  the  woods,  as  we  saw  but  very  few  of 
the  former,  and  none  of  the  latter.  They 
had  large  huts  built  with  drift-wood  on  the 
declivity  of  the  beach  and  in  the  inside  the 
earth  was  dug  away,  so  as  to  form  a  level 
floor.  At  each  end  was  a  stoat  fork,  whereon 
was  laid  a  strong  ridge-pole,  which  formed  a 
support  to  the  whole  structure,  and  a  cover- 
ing of  spruce  bark  preserved  it  from  the  rain. 
Various  spars  of  different  heights  were  fixed 
within  the  hut,  and  covered  with  split  fish 
that  hung  on  them  to  dry ;  and  fires  Avere 
made  in  different  parts  to  accelerate  the  oper- 
ation. There  were  rails  also  on  the  outside 
of  the  building,  which  were  hung  around 
with  fish,  but  in  a  fresher  state  than  those 
within.  The  spawn  is  also  carefully  pre- 
served and  dried  in  the  same  manner.  We 
obtained  as  many  fish  from  them  as  the  canoe 
could  conveniently  contain,  and  some  strings 
of  beads  were  the  price  paid  for  them,  an  ar- 
ticle which  they  preferred  to  every  other. 
Iron  they  held  in  little  or  no  estimation. 

During  the  two  hours  that  I  remained  here, 
I  employed  the  English  chief  in  a  continual 
state  of  inquiry  concerning  these  people. 
The  information  that  resulted  from  this  con- 
ference was  as  follows : 

This  nation  or  tribe  is  very  numerous,  with 
whom  the  Esquimaux  had  been  continually 
283 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

at  variance,  a  people  Avho  take  every  advan- 
tage of  attacking  those  who  are  not  in  a  state 
to  defend  themselves ;  and  though  they  had 
promised  friendship,  had  lately,  and  in  tlie 
most  treacherous  manner,  butchered  some  of 
their  people.  As  a  proof  of  this  circum- 
stance, the  relations  of  the  deceased  showed 
us,  that  they  had  cut  off  their  hair  on  the  oc- 
casion. They  also  declared  their  determina- 
tion to  withdraw  all  confidence  in  future  from 
the  Esquimaux,  and  to  collect  themselves  in 
a  formidable  body,  that  they  might  be  en- 
abled to  revenge  the  death  of  their  friends. 

From  their  account,  a  strong  party  of 
Esquimaux  occasionally  ascends  this  river,  in 
large  canoes,  in  search  of  flint  stones,  which 
they  employ  to  point  their  spears  and  arrows. 
They  were  now  at  their  lake  due  East  from 
the  spot  where  we  then  were,  which  was  at 
no  great  distance  over  land,  where  they  kill 
the  rein-deer,  and  that  they  would  soon  begin 
to  catch  big  fish  for  the  winter  stock.  We 
could  not,  however,  obtain  any  information 
respecting  the  lake  in  the  direction  in  which 
we  were.  To  the  Eastward  and  Westward 
where  they  saw  it,  the  ice  breaks  up,  but  soon 
freezes  again. 

The  Esquimaux  informed  them  that  they 

saw  large    canoes   full  of  white  men  to  the 

Westward,   eight  or  ten   winters   ago,  from 

whom    they   obtained    iron    in  exchange  for 

284 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

leather.  The  lake  where  they  met  these 
canoes,  is  called  by  them  Belhoullay  Toe,  or 
"White  Man's  Lake.  They  also  represented 
the  Esquimaux  as  dressing  like  themselves. 
They  Avear  their  hair  short,  and  have  two 
holes  perforated,  one  on  each  side  of  the 
mouth,  in  a  line  with  the  under  lip,  in  which 
they  place  long  beads  that  they  find  in  the 
lake.  Their  bows  are  somewhat  different 
from  those  used  by  the  natives  we  had  seen, 
and  they  employ  slings  from  whence  they 
throw  stones  Avith  such  dexterity  that  they 
prove  very  formidable  weapons  in  the  day  of 
battle. 

We  also  learned  in  addition  from  the  na- 
tives, that  we  should  not  see  any  more  of 
their  relations,  as  they  had  all  left  the  river 
to  go  in  pursuit  of  rein-deer  for  their  provi- 
sions, and  that  they  themselves  should  en- 
gage in  a  similar  expedition  in  a  few  days. 
Rein-deer,  bears,  wolverines,  martens,  foxes, 
hares,  and  white  buffaloes  are  the  only  quad- 
ruj^eds  in  their  country ;  and  that  the  latter 
were  only  to  be  found  in  the  mountains  to 
the  Westward. 

We  proceeded  with  the  line  throughout  the 
day,  except  two  hours,  when  we  employed 
the  sail.  We  encamped  at  eight  in  the  even- 
ing. From  the  place  we  quitted  this  morn- 
ing, the  ])anks  of  the  river  are  well  covered 
with  small  wood,  spruce,  firs,  birch,  and  wil- 
285 


JOURNAI.   OF  A  yoYAGH   THRorOII   THE 

low.     We   found    it  very   warm    during  the 
Avhole  of  our  i)rogress. 

TJiiirsdaij,  23. — At  five  in  the  morning  we 
proceeded  on  our  voyage,  but  found  it  very 
difficult  to  travel  along  the  beach.  We  ob- 
served several  places  where  the  natives  had 
stationed  themselves  and  set  their  nets  since 
our  passage  downwards.  We  passed  a  small 
river,  and  at  five  o'clock  our  Indians  put  to 
shore  in  order  to  encamp,  but  we  proceeded 
onwards,  which  displeased  them  very  much, 
from  the  fatigue  they  suffered,  and  at  eight 
we  encamped  at  our  position  of  the  8th  in- 
stant. The  day  Avas  very  fine,  and  we  em- 
ployed the  towing  line  throughout  the  course 
of  it.  At  ten,  our  hunters  returned,  sullen 
and  dissatisfied.  We  had  not  touched  any  of 
our  provision  stores  for  six  days,  in  which 
time  we  had  consumed  two  rein-deer,  four 
swans,  forty-five  geese,  and  a  considerable 
quantity  of  fish :  but  it  is  to  be  considered, 
that  we  were  ten  men,  and  four  women.  I 
have  always  observed,  that  the  north  men 
possessed  very  hearty  appetites,  but  they 
were  very  much  exceeded  by  those  with  me, 
since  we  entered  this  river.  I  should  really 
have  thought  it  absolute  gluttony  in  my  peo- 
ple, if  my  own  appetite  had  not  increased  in 
a  similar  proportion. 


286 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

JULY,  1789. 

Fridaij,  24. — At  five  we  continued  our 
course,  but,  in  a  very  short  time,  were  under 
the  necessity  of  applying  to  the  aid  of  the 
line,  the  stream  being  so  strong  as  to  render 
all  our  attempts  unavailing  to  stem  it  with 
the  paddles.  We  passed  a  small  river,  on 
each  side  of  which  the  natives  and  Esqui- 
maux collect  flint.  The  bank  is  an  high, 
steep,  and  soft  rock,  variegated  with  red, 
green,  and  yellow  hues.  From  the  continual 
dripping  of  water,  parts  of  it  frequently  fall 
and  break  into  small  stony  flakes  like  slate, 
but  not  so  hard.  Among  them  are  found 
pieces  of  Petrol unn,  which  bears  a  resem- 
blance to  yellow  wax,  but  is  more  friable. 
The  English  chief  informed  me  that  rocks  of 
a  similar  kind  are  scattered  about  the  country 
at  the  back  of  the  Slave  Lake,  where  the 
Chepewyans  collect  copper. 

At  ten,  we  had  an  aft  wind,  and  the  men 
who  had  been  engaged  in  towing,  re-em- 
barked. At  twelve,  we  observed  a  lodge  on 
the  side  of  the  river,  and  its  inhabitants  run- 
ning about  in  great  confusion,  or  hurrying  to 
the  woods.  Three  men  waited  our  arrival, 
287 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH   THE 

though  they  remained  at  some  distance  from 
us,  with  their  bows  and  arrows  ready  to  be 
employed;  or  at  least,  that  appeared  to  be 
the  idea  they  wished  to  convey  to  us,  by  con- 
tinually snapping  the  strings  of  the  former, 
and  the  signs  they  made  to  forbid  our  ap- 
proach. The  English  chief,  whose  language 
they,  in  some  degree  understood,  endeavoured 
to  remove  their  distrust  of  us ;  but  till  I  went 
to  them  with  a  })resent  of  beads,  they  refused 
to  have  any  communication  with  us. 

When  they  first  perceived  (nir  sail,  they 
took  us  for  the  Esquimaux  Indians,  who  cm- 
ploy  a  sail  in  their  canoes.  They  were 
suspicious  of  our  designs,  and  questioned  us 
with  a  view  to  obtain  some  knowledge  of 
them.  On  seeing  us  in  possession  of  some 
of  the  clothes,  bows,  etc.,  which  must  have 
belonged  to  some  of  the  Deguthee  Denees,  or 
Quarrellers,  they  imagined  that  we  had  killed 
some  of  them,  and  were  bearing  away  the 
fruits  of  our  victory.  They  appeared,  indeed, 
to  be  of  the  same  tribe,  though  they  were 
afraid  of  acknowledging  it.  From  their 
questions,  it  was  evident  that  they  had  not 
received  any  notice  of  our  being  in  those 
parts. 

They  would  not  acknowledge  that  they  had 

any  women  with   them,  though  we  had  seen 

them  running  to  the   woods;  but  pretended 

that  they  had  been  left  at  a  considerable  dis- 

288 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

tance  froiu  the  river,  with  some  relations, 
Avho  were  engaged  in  killing  rein-deer. 
These  people  had  been  here  but  a  short  time, 
and  their  lodge  was  not  yet  completed ;  nor 
had  they  any  fish  in  a  state  of  preparation 
for  their  provision.  I  gave  them  a  knife  and 
some  beads  for  an  horn- wedge  or  chisel,  with 
which  they  s^^lit  their  canoe-wood.  One  of 
my  Indians  having  broken  his  paddle,  at- 
tempted to  take  one  of  theirs,  which  was  im- 
mediately contested  by  its  owner,  and  on  my 
interfering  to  prevent  this  act  of  injustice, 
he  manifested  his  gratitude  to  me  on  the  oc- 
casion. We  lost  an  hour  and  a  half  in  this 
conference. 

The  English  chief  was  during  the  whole  of 
the  time  in  the  woods,  where  some  of  the 
hidden  property  was  discovered,  but  the 
women  contrived  to  elude  the  search  that  was 
made  after  them.  Some  of  these  articles 
were  purloined,  but  I  was  ignorant  of  this 
circumstance  till  we  had  taken  our  departure, 
or  I  should  have  given  an  ample  remunera- 
tion. Our  chief  expressed  his  displeasure  at 
tlieir  running  away  to  conceal  themselves, 
their  i)roperty,  and  their  young  women,  in 
very  bitter  terms.  Pie  said  his  heart  was 
against  those  slaves  ;  and  complained  aloud  of 
liis  disappointment  in  coming  so  far  without 
seeing  the  natives,  and  getting  something 
from  them. 

19  28y 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TIIHOUGII   THE 

We  employed  the  sail  and  tlie  i)addle  since 
ten  this  morning',  and  pitched  our  tents  at 
seven  in  the  evening.  We  had  no  sooner  en- 
camped than  we  were  visited  by  an  Indian 
whom  we  had  seen  before,  and  whose  family 
was  at  a  small  distance  up  the  river :  at  nine 
he  left  us.  The  Aveather  was  clear  and 
serene. 

Saturdaij,  25. — We  embarked  this  morning 
at  a  quarter  past  three,  and  at  seven  we 
passed  the  lodge  of  the  Indian  who  had  vis- 
ited us  the  preceding  evening.  There  ap- 
peared to  have  been  more  than  one  family, 
and  we  naturally  concluded  tliat  our  visitor 
had  made  such  an  unfavourable  report  of  us, 
as  to  induce  his  companions  to  fly  on  our  ap- 
proach. Their  fire  was  not  extinguislied,  and 
they  had  left  a  considerable  quantity  of  fish 
scattered  about  their  dwelling. 

The  weather  was  now  very  sultry  ;  but  the 
current  had  relaxed  of  its  force,  so  that  the 
paddle  was  sufficient  for  our  progress  during 
the  greatest  part  of  the  day.  The  inland 
part  of  the  country  is  mountainous  and  tlie 
banks  of  the  river  low,  but  covered  with 
wood,  among  which  is  the  poplar,  but  of 
small  growth,  and  the  first  which  we  had 
seen  on  our  return.  A  pigeon  also  flew  by 
us,  and  hares  appeared  to  be  in  great  plenty. 
We  passed  many  Indian  encampments  which 
we  did  not  see  in  our  passage  down  the  river. 
290 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

About  seven  the  sky,  to  the  Westward,  be- 
came of  a  steel  blue  colour,  with  lightning 
and  thunder.  We  accordingly  landed  to 
prei)are  ourselves  against  the  coming  storm ; 
but  before  we  could  erect  our  tents,  it  came 
on  with  such  violence  that  we  expected  it  to 
carry  every  thing  before  it.  The  ridge  pole 
of  my  tent  w-as  broken  in  the  middle,  where 
it  was  sound,  and  nine  inches  and  an  half  in 
circumference ;  and  we  were  obliged  to  throw 
ourselves  flat  on  the  ground  to  escape  being 
wounded  by  the  stones  that  were  hurled 
about  in  the  air  like  sand.  The  violence  of 
the  storm,  however,  subsided  in  a  short  time, 
but  left  the  sky  overcast  with  the  appearance 
of  rain. 

Sunday,  26. — It  rained  from  the  preceding 
evening  to  this  morning,  when  we  embarked 
at  four  o'clock.  At  eight  we  landed  at  three 
large  Indian  lodges.  Their  inhabitants,  who 
were  asleep,  expressed  uncommon  alarm  and 
agitation  when  they  were  awakened  by  us, 
though  most  of  them  had  seen  us  before. 
Their  habitations  were  crowded  with  fish, 
hanging  to  dry  in  every  part;  but  as  we 
wanted  some  for  present  use,  we  sent  their 
young  men  to  visit  the  nets,  and  they  re- 
turned with  abundance  of  large  white  fish,  to 
which  the  name  has  been  given  oi  poisson  In- 
connu;  some  of  a  round  shape,  and  green 
colour ;  and  a  few  white  ones ;  all  which  were 
291 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

very  agreeable  food.  Some  beads,  and  a  few 
otlier  trifles,  were  gratefully  received  in  re- 
turn. These  people  are  very  fond  of  iron 
work  of  any  kind,  and  my  men  jmrcliased 
several  of  their  articles  for  small  pieces  of 
tin. 

There  Avere  five  or  six  persons  whom  we 
had  not  seen  before;  and  among  them  was  a 
Dog-rib  Indian,  whom  some  private  quarrel 
had  driven  from  Ids  country.  The  English 
chief  understood  him  as  well  as  one  of  his 
own  nation,  and  gave  the  following  account 
of  their  conversation  : — 

He  had  been  informed  by  the  people  with 
whom  he  now  lives,  the  Hare  Indians,  that 
there  is  another  river  on  the  other  side  of  the 
mountains  to  the  South-West,  which  falls 
into  the  BelhouUdij  Teo,  or  White-man's 
Lake,  in  comparison  of  which  that  on  whose 
banks  we  then  were,  Avas  but  a  small  stream ; 
that  the  natives  were  very  large,  and  very 
wicked,  and  kill  common  men  with  their 
eyes ;  that  they  make  canoes  lai'ger  than  ours  ;. 
that  those  who  inhabit  the  entrance  of  it  kill 
a  kind  of  beaver,  the  skin  of  which  is  almost 
red;  and  that  large  canoes  often  frequent  it. 
As  there  is  no  known  communication  by 
water  with  this  river,  the  natives  who  saw  it 
went  over  the  mountains. 

As   he  mentioned    that   there    were   some 
beavers  in  this  part  of  the  country,  I  told  him 
292 


XOimi-WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

to  hunt  it,  and  desire  the  others  to  do  the 
same,  as  well  as  the  martens,  foxes,  beaver- 
eater  or  wolverine,  &c.,  which  they  might 
carry  to  barter  for  iron  with  his  own  nation, 
who  are  supplied  with  goods  by  us,  near  their 
country.  He  was  anxious  to  know  whether 
we  should  return  that  way ;  at  the  same  time 
he  informed  us,  that  we  should  see  but  few 
of  the  natives  along  the  river,  as  all  the 
young  men  w^ere  engaged  in  killing  rein-deer, 
near  the  Esquimaux  Lake,  which,  he  also 
said,  was  at  no  great  distance.  The  latter 
he  represented  as  very  treacherous,  and  add- 
ed, that  they  had  killed  one  of  his  people. 
He  told  us  likewise,  that  some  plan  of  re- 
venge was  meditating,  unless  the  offending 
party  paid  a  sufficient  price  for  the  body  of 
the  murdered  person. 

My  Indians  Avere  very  anxious  to  possess 
themselves  of  a  woman  that  was  with  the  na- 
tives, but  as  they  were  not  Avilling  to  part 
Avith  her,  I  interfered,  to  prevent  her  being 
taken  by  force ;  indeed,  I  was  obliged  to  ex- 
ercise the  utmost  vigilance,  as  the  Indians 
who  accompanied  me  were  ever  ready  to  take 
what  they  could  from  the  natives,  without 
making  them  any  return.  About  twelve,  we 
passed  a  river  of  some  appearance,  flowing 
from  the  Eastward.  One  of  the  natives  who 
followed  us,  called  it  the  Winter  Road  River. 
"We  did  not  find  tlie  stream  strong  to-day, 
29;j 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAOl':   TirUolOH   THE 

along  the  shore,  as  tiiere  were  many  eddy 
currents ;  we  therefore  employed  the  sail  dur- 
ing some  hours  of  it,  and  went  on  shore  for 
the  night  at  half  past  seven. 

Monday,  27. — The  weather  was  now  line, 
and  we  renewed  our  voyage  at  half  past  two. 
At  seven  we  landed  where  there  were  three 
families,  situated  close  to  the  rapids.  We 
found  but  few  people;  for  as  the  Indian  who 
followed  us  yesterday  had  arrived  here  Ix- 
fore  us,  we  supposed  that  the  greater  part 
had  fled,  on  the  intelligence  which  he  gave 
of  our  approach.  Some  of  these  people  we 
had  seen  before,  when  they  told  us  that  they 
had  left  their  property  at  a  lake  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  had  promised  to  fetch  it  be- 
fore our  return ;  but  we  now  found  them  as 
unprovided  as  when  we  left  them.  They 
had  plenty  of  fish,  some  of  which  was  packed 
up  in  birch  bark. 

During  the  time  we  remained  with  them, 
Avhicli  was  not  more  than  two  hours,  I  en- 
deavoured to  obtain  some  additional  intelli- 
gence respecting  the  river  which  had  been 
mentioned  on  the  preceding  day;  when  they 
declared  their  total  ignorance  of  it,  but  from 
the  reports  of  others,  as  they  had  never  been 
beyond  the  mountains,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
their  own  river ;  they  had,  however,  been  in- 
formed that  it  was  larger  than  that  which 
washed  the  banks  whereon  they  lived,  and 
294 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF   AMERICA. 

that  its  course  was  towards  the  mid-day  sun. 
They  added,  that  there  were  people  at  a 
small  distance  up  the  river,  who  inhabited 
the  opposite  mountains,  and  had  lately  de- 
scended from  them  to  obtain  supplies  of  lisli. 
These  people,  they  suggested,  must  be  well 
acquainted  with  the  other  river,  which  was 
the  object  of  my  inquiry.  I  engaged  one  of 
them,  l)y  a  bribe  of  some  beads,  to  describe 
the  circumjacent  country  upon  the  sand. 
This  singular  map  he  immediately  undertook 
to  delineate,  and  accordingly  traced  out  a 
very  long  point  of  land  between  the  rivers, 
though  without  paying  the  least  attention  to 
their  courses,  which  he  represented  as  run- 
ning into  the  great  lake,  at  the  extremity  of 
which,  as  he  had  been  told  by  Indians  of 
other  nations,  there  was  a  Kelhoullay  Couin, 
or  White  Man's  Fort.  This  I  took  to  be 
Unalascha  Fort,  and  consequently  the  river 
to  the  West  to  be  Cook's  Eiver ;  and  that  the 
body  of  water  or  sea  into  which  this  river 
discharges  itself  at  ^Miale  Island,  communi- 
cates Avith  Xorton  Sound.  I  made  an  advan- 
tageous proposition  to  this  man  to  accompany 
me  across  the  mountains  to  the  other  river, 
but  he  refused  it.  At  the  same  time  he  rec- 
ommended me  to  the  people  already  men- 
tioned, who  were  fishing  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, as  better  qualified  to  assist  me  in  the 
undertaking  which  I  had  proposed. 
295 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAOE   Tlll^orcai  THE 

One  ui"  this  small  fuiupany  of  natives  was 
greviously  afilicted  with  ulcers  in  his  back, 
and  the  only  attention  which  was  i)aid  to  his 
miserable  condition,  as  far  at  least  as  we 
conld  discover,  proceeded  from  a  woman, 
Avho  carefully  employed  a  bunch  of  feathers 
in  preventing  the  flies  from  settling  upon  his 
sores. 

At  ten  this  morning  we  landed  near  the 
lodges  whicli  had  already  been  mentioned  to 
us,  and  I  ordered  my  people  to  make  prep- 
aration for  passing  the  remaining  part  of  the 
day  here,  in  order  to  obtain  that  familiarity 
with  the  natives  which  might  induce  them  to 
afford  me,  without  reserve,  the  infornuition 
that  I  should  require  from  them.  This  ob- 
ject, however,  was  in  danger  of  being  alto- 
gether frustrated,  by  a  misunderstanding  that 
had  taken  place  between  the  natives  and  ]ny 
young  Indians,  who  had  already  arrived 
there.  Before  the  latter  could  disembark, 
the  former  seized  the  canoe,  and  dragged  it 
on  shore,  and  in  this  act  of  violence  the  boat 
was  broken,  from  the  weight  of  the  persons 
in  it.  This  insult  was  on  the  j^oint  of  being 
seriously  revenged,  when  I  arrived,  to  pre- 
vent the  consequences  of  such  a  disposition. 
The  variation  of  the  compass  was  about 
twenty-nine  degrees  to  the  East. 

At  four  in  the  afternoon  I  ordered  my  in- 
terpreter to  harangue  tlie  natives,  assembled 
L'9(i 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

iu  council;  but  his  long  discourse  obtained 
little  satisfactory  intelligence  from  them. 
Their  account  of  the  river  to  the  Westward, 
was  similar  to  that  which  he  had  already  re- 
ceived :  and  their  description  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  that  country  was  still  more  absurd 
and  ridiculous.  They  represented  them  as 
being  of  a  gigantic  stature,  and  adorned  with 
wings ;  which,  however,  they  never  employed 
in  fl^'ing.  That  they  fed  on  large  birds,  which 
they  killed  with  the  greatest  ease,  though 
common  men  would  be  certain  victims  of  their 
ferocity  if  they  ventured  to  approach  them. 
They  also  described  the  people  that  inhabited 
the  mouth  of  the  river  as  possessing  the  ex- 
traordinary power  of  killing  with  their  eyes, 
and  devouring  a  large  beaver  at  a  single  meal. 
They  added  that  canoes  of  very  large  dimen- 
sions visited  that  place.  They  did  not,  how- 
ever, relate  these  strange  circumstances  from 
their  own  knowledge,  but  on  the  reports  of 
other  tribes,  as  they  themselves  never  ven- 
tured to  proceed  beyond  the  first  mountains, 
where  they  went  in  search  of  the  small  white 
buffaloes,  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  side 
endeavour  to  kill  them  whenever  they  meet. 
They  likewise  mentioned  that  the  sources  of 
those  streams  which  are  tributary  to  both  the 
great  rivers  are  separated  by  the  mountains. 
It  appeared  to  us,  however,  that  these  people 
knew  more  about  the  country  than  they  chose 
297 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   TllUoUCill   THE 

to  (!()uiiiiuiii('ute,  or  ;it  least  readied  me,  as 
the  interpreter,  wlio  liad  long  bet'n  tired  of 
the  voyage,  might  conceal  such  a  jjartof  their 
communications  as,  in  his  opinion,  would  in- 
duce me  to  follow  new  routes,  or  extend  ni}' 
excursions. 

No  sooner  was  tlie  conference  concluded, 
than  they  began  to  dance,  which  is  their  fa- 
vourite, and,  except  jumping,  their  only 
amusement.  In  this  pastime  old  and  young, 
male  and  female,  continued  their  exertions, 
till  their  strength  was  exhausted.  This  exer- 
cise was  accompanied  by  loud  imitations  of 
the  various  noises  produced  by  the  rein-deer, 
the  bear,  and  the  wolf. 

When  they  had  finished  their  antics,  I  de- 
sired the  English  chief  to  renew  the  former 
subjects;  which  he  did  without  success.  I 
therefore  assumed  an  angry  air,  expressed 
my  suspicions  that  they  withheld  their  infor- 
mation, and  concluded  with  a  menace,  that  if 
they  did  not  give  me  all  the  satisfaction  in 
their  power,  I  would  force  one  of  them  along 
with  me  to-morrow,  to  point  out  the  other 
river.  On  tliis  declaration,  they  all,  at  one 
and  the  same  moment,  became  sick,  and  an- 
swered in  a  very  faint  tone,  that  they  knew 
no  more  than  they  had  already  communicated, 
and  that  they  should  die  if  I  took  any  of 
them  away.  They  began  to  persuade  my  in- 
terpeter  to  remain  with  them,  as  they  loved 
298 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

liiui  as  well  as  they  did  themselves,  and  that 
he  would  be  killed  if  he  continued  with  me. 
Nor  did  this  proposition,  aided  as  it  was  by 
the  solicitation  of  his  Avomen,  fail  of  produc- 
ing a  considerable  effect  upon  him,  though 
he  endeavoured  to  conceal  it  from  me. 

I  now  found  that  it  would  be  fruitless  for 
me  to  expect  any  accounts  of  the  country,  or 
the  other  great  river,  till  I  got  to  the  river  of 
the  Bear  Lake,  where  I  expected  to  find  some 
of  the  natives  who  promised  to  wait  for  us 
there.  These  peoj^le  had  actually  mentioned 
this  river  to  me  when  we  passed  them,  but  I 
then  paid  no  attention  to  that  circumstance, 
as  I  imagined  it  to  be  either  a  misunderstand- 
ing of  my  interpreter,  or  that  it  was  an  in- 
vention which,  with  their  other  lies,  might 
tend  to  prevent  me  from  proceeding  down 
their  river. 

We  were  plentifully  supplied  with  fish,  as 
well  dry  as  fresh,  by  these  people;  they  also 
gathered  as  many  whortle  berries  as  we  chose, 
for  which  we  paid  with  the  usual  articles  of 
beads,  awls,  knives,  and  tin.  I  purchased  a 
few  beaver- skins  of  them,  which,  according 
to  their  accounts,  are  not  very  numerous  in 
this  country;  and  that  they  do  not  abound  in 
moose-deer  and  buffaloes.  They  were  alarmed 
for  some  of  their  young  men,  who  were  kill- 
ing geese  higher  up  the  river,  and  entreat- 
ed us  to  do  them  no  harm.  About  sunset  I 
299 


JOURNAIi   OF  A  V()YA(;r.   'I'lIlK  )l'Gll   THE 

was  under  the  necessity  uf  shouting  one  of 
their  dugs,  as  we  euuhl  nut  keep  those  ani- 
mals from  our  baggage.  It  was  in  vain  tliat 
I  had  remonstrated  on  this  subject,  so  that  1 
was  obliged  to  commit  the  act  which  has  l)eeu 
just  mentioned.  When  these  people  heard 
the  report  of  the  pistol,  and  saw  the  dog  dead, 
they  were  seized  with  a  very  general  ahum, 
and  the  women  took  their  children  on  their 
backs  and  ran  into  the  woods.  I  ordered  tlie 
cause  of  this  act  of  severity  to  be  explained, 
with  the  assurance  that  no  injury  would  be 
offered  to  themselves.  The  woman,  however, 
to  whom  the  dog  belonged,  was  very  much 
affected,  and  declared  that  the  loss  of  five 
children,  during  the  preceding  winter,  had 
not  affected  her  so  nuieh  as  the  death  of  this 
animal.  But  her  grief  was  not  of  very  long 
duration  ;  and  a  few  beads,  &c.,  soon  assuaged 
her  sorrow.  But  as  they  can  without  diffi- 
culty get  rid  of  their  affliction,  they  can 
with  equal  ease  assume  it,  and  feign  sickness 
if  it  be  necessary  with  the  same  versatility. 
When  we  arrived  this  morning,  we  found  the 
Avomen  in  tears,  from  an  apprehension  that 
Ave  were  come  to  take  them  away.  To  the 
eve  of  an  European  they  certainly  were  ob- 
jects of  disgust;  but  there  were  those  among 
my  party  who  observed  some  hidden  charms 
in  these  females  which  rendered  them  objects 
of  desire,  and  means  were  found,  I  believe, 
300 


NORTH  WEST   CONTINENT   OF   AMERICA. 

that  very  soon   dissipated  their  alarms  and 
subdued  their  coyness. 

On  the  upper  part  of  the  beach,  liquorice 
grew  in  great  abundance  and  it  was  now  in 
blossom.  I  pulled  up  some  of  the  roots, 
which  were  large  and  long;  but  the  natives 
were  ignorant  of  its  qualities,  and  considered 
it  as  a  weed  of  no  use  or  value. 

Tuesday,  28. — At  four  this  morning  I  or- 
dered my  people  to  prepare  for  our  departure ; 
and  while  they  were  loading  the  canoe,  I 
went  with  the  English  chief  to  visit  the 
lodges,  but  the  greater  part  of  their  inhabi- 
tants had  quitted  them  during  the  night,  and 
those  that  remained  pretended  sickness  and 
refused  to  rise.  When,  however,  they  were 
convinced  that  we  did  not  mean  to  take  any 
of  them  with  us,  their  sickness  abandoned 
them,  and  when  we  had  embarked,  they  came 
forth  from  their  huts,  to  desire  that  we  would 
visit  their  nets,  which  were  at  a  small  dis- 
tance up  the  river,  and  take  all  the  fish  we 
might  find  in  them.  We  accordingly  availed 
ourselves  of  this  permission,  and  took  as 
many  as  were  necessary  for  our  own  supply. 

We  landed  shortly  after  where  there  were 
two  more  lodges,  which  were  full  of  fish,  but 
without  any  inhabitants,  who  were  probably 
with  the  natives  whom  we  had  just  left.  My 
Indians,  in  rummaging  these  places,  found 
several  articles  which  they  proposed  to  take ; 
301 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

I  tlierefore  gave  beads  and  awls  to  be  left  as 
the  purchase  of  them;  but  this  act  of  justice 
they  were  not  able  to  comprehend,  as  the 
people  themselves  Avere  not  i)resent.  I  took 
up  a  net  and  left  a  large  knife  in  the  place  of 
it.  It  was  about  four  fathoms  long,  and 
thirty-two  meshes  in  depth ;  these  nets  are 
much  more  convenient  to  set  in  the  eddy  cur- 
rent than  our  long  ones.  This  is  the  place 
that  the  Indians  call  a  rapid,  though  we  went 
up  it  all  the  way  with  the  paddle ;  so  that 
the  current  could  not  be  so  strong  here,  as  in 
many  other  parts  of  the  river;  indeed,  if  it 
were  so,  the  difficulty  of  towing  would  be 
almost  insuperable,  as  in  many  parts,  the 
rocks,  which  are  of  a  great  height,  and  rather 
project  over  the  water,  leave  no  shore  between 
them  and  the  stream.  These  precipices 
abound  in  swallows'  nests.  The  weather  was 
now  very  sultry,  and  at  eleven  we  were  under 
the  necessity  of  landing  to  gum  our  canoe. 

In  about  an  hour  we  set  forward,  and  at 
one  in  the  afternoon,  went  on  shore  at  a  fire, 
which  we  supposed  to  have  been  kindled  by 
the  young  men,  who,  as  we  had  been  already 
informed,  were  hunting  geese.  Our  hunters 
found  their  canoe  and  the  fowl  they  had  got, 
secreted  in  the  woods;  and  soon  after,  the 
people  themselves,  whom  they  brought  to  the 
water  side.  Out  of  two  hundred  geese,  we 
picked  thirty-six  which  were  eatable;  the 
302 


NORTH  WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

rest  were  putrid,  and  emitted  a  horrid  stench. 
They  had  been  killed  some  time  without  hav- 
ing been  gutted,  and  in  this  state  of  loathsome 
rottenness,  we  have  every  reason  to  suppo;^ 
they  are  eaten  by  the  natives.  We  paid  for 
those  which  we  had  taken,  and  departed. 
At  seven  in  the  evening,  the  weather  became 
cloudy  and  overcast ;  at  eight  we  encamped ; 
at  nine  it  began  to  thunder  with  great  vio- 
lence ;  a  heavy  rain  succeeded,  accompanied 
with  a  hurricane,  that  blew  down  our  tents, 
and  threatened  to  carry  away  the  canoe, 
which  had  been  fastened  to  some  trees  with 
a  cod-line.  The  storm  lasted  two  hours,  and 
deluged  us  with  wet. 

Wednesday,  29. — Yesterday  the  weather 
was  cloudy,  and  the  heat  insupportable ;  and 
now  we  could  not  put  on  clothes  enough  to 
keep  us  warm.  We  embarked  at  a  quarter 
past  four  with  an  aft  wind,  which  drove  us 
on  at  a  great  rate,  though  the  current  is  very 
strong.  At  ten  we  came  to  the  other  rapid, 
which  we  got  up  with  the  line  on  the  West 
side,  where  we  found  it  much  stronger  than 
when  we  went  down ;  the  water  had  also  fallen 
at  least  five  feet  since  that  time,  so  that  sev- 
eral shoals  appeared  in  the  river  which  we 
had  not  seen  before.  One  of  my  hunters 
narrowly  escaped  being  drowned  in  crossing 
a  river  that  falls  in  from  the  Westward,  and 
is  the  most  considerable,  except  the  mountain 
303 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE   THROUGH  THE 

rivev,  that  flows  in  tliis  direction.  We  had 
strong  Northerly  and  cold  wind  throughout 
the  whole  of  the  day,  and  took  our  station 
for  the  night  at  a  quarter  past  eight.  We 
killed  a  goose  and  caught  some  young  ones, 

T/iursddi/,  30. — We  renewed  our  voyage  at 
four  this  n^orning,  after  a  very  rainy  night. 
The  weather  was  cloudy,  but  the  cold  had 
moderated,  and  the  wind  was  North-West. 
We  were  enabled  to  employ  the  sail  during 
part  of  the  day,  and  encamped  at  about  seven 
in  the  evening.  We  killed  eleven  old  geese 
and  forty  young  ones  which  had  just  begun 
to  fly.  The  English  chief  was  very  much  irri- 
tated against  one  of  his  young  men :  that 
jealousy  occasioned  tliis  uneasiness,  and  that 
it  Avas  not  without  very  sufficient  cause,  was 
all  I  could  discover.  For  the  last  two  or 
three  days  we  had  eaten  the  liquorice  root, 
of  which  there  is  a  great  abundance  on  tire 
banks  of  the  river.  We  found  it  a  powerful 
astringent. 

Friday,  31.  —  The  rain  was  continual 
throughout  the  night,  and  did  not  subside  till 
nine  this  morning,  when  we  renewed  our  pro- 
gress. The  wind  and  weather  the  same  as 
yesterday.  About  three  in  the  afternoon  it 
cleared  up  and  the  wind  died  away,  when 
it  became  warm.  At  five  the  wind  veered  to 
the  East,  and  brought  cold  along  with  it. 
There  were  plenty  of  whortle  berries,  raspber- 
304 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

ries,  and  a  berry  called  ^^oZ/v,  which  grows  in 
the  greatest  abundance.  We  were  very  much 
impeded  in  our  way  by  shoals  of  sand  and 
small  stones  which  render  the  water  shallow 
at  a  distance  from  the  shore.  In  other  places 
the  bank  of  the  river  is  lofty :  it  is  formed  of 
black  earth  and  sand,  ij\d,  as  it  is  continu- 
ally falling,  displayed  to  ns,  in  some  parts,  a 
face  of  solid  ice,  to  within  a  foot  of  the  sur- 
face. We  finished  this  day's  voyage  at  a 
quarter  before  eight,  and  in  the  course  of  it 
killed  seven  geese. 

We  now  had  recourse  to  our  corn,  for  we 
had  only  consumed  three  days  of  our  original 
provision  since  we  began  to  mount  the  cur- 
rent. It  was  my  intention  to  have  ascended 
the  river  on  the  South  side  from  the  last 
rapid,  to  discover  if  there  were  any  rivers  of 
consequence  that  flow  from  the  Westward; 
but  the  sand-ljanks  were  so  numerous  and  the 
current  so  strong,  that  I  was  compelled  to 
traverse  to  the  opposite  side,  where  the  eddy 
currents  are  very  frequent,  which  gave  us  an 
opportunity  of  setting  our  nets  and  making 
much  more  headway. 
20 


805 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  TllKOUGlI   THE 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AUGUST,  1789. 

Saturday,  1. — We  embarked  at  three  this 
morning,  the  weather  being  clear  and  cohl, 
with  tlie  wind  at  Soutli-East.  At  three  in 
the  afternoon  we  traversed  and  landed  to  take 
the  canoe  in  tow :  here  was  an  encampment 
of  the  natives,  which  we  had  reason  to  sup- 
pose they  had  quitted  the  preceding  day.  At 
five  we  perceived  a  family,  consisting  of  a 
man,  two  women,  and  as  many  children,  sta- 
tioned by  the  side  of  the  water,  whom  we 
had  not  seen  before.  They  informed  us,  that 
they  had  but  few  fish,  and  that  none  of  their 
friends  were  in  the  neighbourhood,  except 
the  inhabitants  of  one  lodge  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river,  and  a  man  who  belonged  to 
them,  and  who  was  now  occupied  in  hunting. 
I  now  found  my  interpreter  very  unwilling  to 
ask  such  questions  as  were  dictated  to  him, 
from  the  apprehension,  as  I  imagined,  that 
I  might  obtain  such  intelligence  as  would  pre- 
vent him  from  seeing  Athabasca  this  season. 
We  left  him  with  the  Indian,  and  pitched 
our  tents  at  the  same  place  where  we  liad 
passed  the  night  on  the  fifth  of  last  montli. 
The  English  chief  came  along  with  the  Indian 
30$ 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

to  our  lire ;  and  the  latter  iufonued  us  that 
the  native  who  went  down  part  of  the  river 
with  us  had  passed  there,  and  that  we  shoukl 
meet  with  three  lodges  of  his  tribe  above  the 
river  of  the  Bear  Lake.  Of  the  river  to  the 
"Westward  he  knew  nothing,  but  from  the  re- 
lation of  others.  This  was  the  first  night 
since  our  departure  from  Athabasca,  Avhen  it 
was  sufficiently  dark  to  render  the  stars 
visible. 

Sunday,  2. — We  set  off  at  three  this  morn- 
ing with  the  towing-line.  I  walked  with  my 
Indians,  as  they  went  faster  than  the  canoe, 
and  particularly  as  I  suspected  that  they 
wanted  to  arrive  at  the  huts  of  the  natives 
before  me.  In  our  way,  I  observed  several 
small  springs  of  mineral  water  running  from 
the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  along  the  beach 
I  saw  several  lumps  of  iron  ore.  When  we 
came  to  the  river  of  the  Bear  Lake,  I  ordered 
one  of  the  young  Indians  to  wait  for  my 
canoe,  and  I  took  my  place  in  their  small 
canoe.  This  river  is  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  broad  at  this  place,  the  water 
clear  and  of  a  greenish  colour.  When  I 
landed  on  the  opposite  shore,  I  discovered 
that  the  natives  had  been  there  very  lately 
from  the  print  of  their  feet  in  the  sand.  We 
continued  walking  till  live  in  the  afternoon, 
when  we  saw  several  smokes  along  the  shore. 
As  we  naturally  concluded,  that  these  were 
307 


JOURNAI.  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

certuin  indications  where  we  should  meet  tlie 
natives  who  were  the  objects  of  our  search 
we  quickened  our  pace ;  but,  in  our  progress, 
experienced  a  very  sulphurous  smell,  and  at 
length  discovered  that  the  whole  bank  was 
on  fire  for  a  very  considerable  distance.  It 
proved  to  be  a  coal  mine,  to  which  the  fire 
had  communicated  from  an  old  Indian  en- 
campment. The  beach  was  covered  with 
coals,  and  the  English  chief  gathered  some  of 
the  softest  he  could  find,  as  a  black  dye;  it 
being  the  mineral,  as  he  informed  me,  with 
which  the  natives  render  their  quills  black. 

Here  we  waited  for  the  large  canoe,  which 
arrived  an  hour  after  us.  At  half  past  ten 
we  saw  several  Indian  marks,  which  consisted 
of  pieces  of  bark  fixed  on  poles,  and  pointing 
to  the  woods,  opposite  to  which  is  an  old 
beaten  road,  that  bore  the  marks  of  being 
lately  frequented ;  the  beach  also  was  covered 
with  tracks.  At  a  small  distance  were  the 
poles  of  five  lodges  standing ;  where  we  landed 
and  unloaded  our  canoe.  I  then  despatched 
one  of  my  men  and  two  young  Indians  to  see 
if  they  could  find  any  natives  within  a  day's 
march  of  us.  I  wanted  the  English  chief  to 
go,  but  he  pleaded  fatigue,  and  that  it  would 
be  of  no  use.  This  was  the  first  time  he  had 
refused  to  comply  with  my  desire,  and  jeal- 
ousy, I  believe,  was  the  cause  of  it  in  the 
present  instance;  though  I  liad  taken  every 
30iJ 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

precavitioii  that  lie  should  nut  have  cause  to 
be  jealous  of  the  Canadians.  There  was  not, 
at  this  time,  the  least  appearance  of  snow  on 
the  opposite  mountains,  though  they  were 
almost  covered  with  it,  when  we  passed  be- 
fore. Set  two  nets,  and  at  eleven  o'clock  at 
night  the  men  and  Indians  returned.  They 
had  been  to  their  first  encampment,  where 
there  were  four  fires,  and  which  had  been 
quitted  a  short  time  before  ;  so  that  they  were 
obliged  to  make  the  circuit  of  several  snudl 
lakes,  which  the  natives  cross  with  their 
canoes.  This  encampment  was  on  the  bor- 
ders of  a  lake  which  was  too  large  for  them 
to  venture  round  it,  so  that  they  did  not  pro- 
ceed any  further.  They  saw  several  beavers 
and  beaver  lodges  in  those  small  lakes.  They 
killed  one  of  these  animals  whose  fur  began 
to  get  long,  a  sure  indication  that  the  fall  of 
the  year  approaches.  They  also  saw  many 
old  tracks  of  the  moose  and  reindeer.  This 
is  the  time  when  the  rein-deer  leave  the 
plains  to  come  to  the  woods,  as  the  mosqui- 
toes begin  to  disappear;  I,  therefore,  appre- 
hended that  we  should  not  find  a  single  In- 
dian on  the  river  side,  as  they  would  be  in  or 
about  the  mountains   setting   snares  to  take 

them. 

Monday,  3. — We  proceeded  with  a  strong 
Westerly  wind,  at  four  this  morning,  the 
weather  being  cloudy  and  cold.     At  twelve  it 

;;oy 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH   THE 

cleared  up  aiul  became  line;  the  current  also 
increased.  The  water  had  fallen  so  mucli 
since  our  passage  down  the  river,  that  here, 
as  in  other  places,  we  discovered  many  shoals 
which  were  not  then  visible.  We  killed  sev- 
eral geese  of  a  larger  size  than  those  which 
we  had  generally  seen.  Several  Indian  en- 
cam})ments  were  seen  along  the  river,  and  we 
landed  at  eight  for  the  niglit. 

Tueschn/j  Jf.. — At  four  in  the  morning  we  re- 
newed our  course,  when  it  was  iine  and  calm. 
The  night  had  been  cold  and  a  very  heavy 
dew  had  fallen.  At  nine  we  were  obliged  to 
land  in  order  to  gum  the  canoe,  Avhen  the 
Aveather  became  extremely  warm.  Numerous 
tracks  of  rein-deer  appeared  on  the  side  of 
the  river.  At  half  past  five  we  took  our  sta- 
tion for  the  night,  and  set  the  nets.  The  cur- 
rent was  very  strong  all  day,  and  we  found  it 
very  difficult  to  walk  along  the  beach,  from 
the  large  stones  which  were  scattered  over  it. 

JVednesday,  5. — A\'e  raised  our  nets,  but 
had  not  the  good  fortune  to  take  a  single  fish. 
The  water  was  now  become  so  low  that  the 
edd}'  currents  would  not  admit  of  setting 
them.  The  current  had  not  rela.xed  its 
strength ;  and  the  difficulty  of  walking  along 
the  beach  was  continued.  The  air  was  now 
become  so  cold,  that  our  exercise,  violent  as 
it  was,  scarce  kept  us  warm.  "We  passed  sev- 
eral points  which  we  should  not  have  accom- 
310 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

l^lislied,  if  the  canoe  had  been  loaded.  We 
were  very  much  fatigued,  and  at  six  were 
glad  to  conclude  our  toilsome  march.  The 
Indians  killed  two  geese.  The  women,  who 
did  not  quit  the  canoe,  were  continually  em- 
ployed in  making  shoes  of  moose-skin,  for 
the  men,  as  a  pair  did  not  last  more  than  a 
da}-. 

Tltursday,  6. — The  rain  prevented  us  from 
proceeding  till  half  past  six,  when  we  had  a 
strong  aft  wind,  which,  aided  by  the  paddles, 
drove  us  on  at  a  great  rate.  We  encamped 
at  six  to  wait  for  our  Indians,  whom  we  had 
not  seen  since  the  morning ;  and  at  half  past 
seven  they  arrived  very  much  dissatisfied  with 
their  day's  journey.  Two  days  had  now 
elapsed,  since  we  had  seen  the  least  appear- 
ance of  Indian  habitations. 

Frlddjj,  7. — We  embarked  at  half  past 
three,  and  soon  after  perceived  two  rein-deer 
on  the  beach  before  us.  We  accordingly 
checked  our  course ;  but  our  Indians,  in  con- 
tending who  should  be  the  first  to  get  near 
these  animals,  alarmed  and  lost  them.  We, 
however,  killed  a  female  rein-deer,  and  from 
the  wounds  in  her  hind  legs,  it  was  supposed 
tliat  she  had  been  pursued  by  wolves,  who 
had  devoured  her  young  one  :  her  udder  was 
full  of  milk,  and  one  of  the  young  Indians 
poured  it  among  some  boiled  corn,  which  he 
ate  with  groat  delight,  esteeming  it  a  very 
311 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAOR   TIlRDroH   TIIK 

delicious  food.  At  live  in  tlic  afternoon  we 
saw.  an  animal  running  along  the  beach,  but 
could  not  determine  whctlier  it  was  a  grey 
fox  or  a  dog.  In  a  short  time,  we  went 
ashore  for  the  night,  at  the  entrance  of  a 
small  river,  as  I  thought  there  might  be  some 
natives  in  the  vicinity  of  the  })lace.  I  or- 
dered my  hunters  to  jjut  their  fusees  in  or- 
der, and  gave  them  ammunition  to  proceed 
on  a  hunting  party  the  next  day ;  they  were 
also  instructed  to  discover  if  there  were  any 
natives  in  the  neighbouring  mountains.  I 
found  a  small  canoe  at  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
which  contained  a  paddle  and  a  bow  :  it  had 
been  repaired  this  spring,  and  the  workman- 
ship of  the  bark  excelled  any  that  I  luid  yet 
seen.  We  saw  several  encampments  in  tlie 
course  of  the  day.  The  current  of  the  riv^er 
was  very  strong,  and  along  the  points  equal 
to  rapids. 

Satiinhn/,  8. — The  rain  was  very  violent 
throughout  the  niglit,  and  continued  till  the 
afternoon  of  this  day,  when  the  weather  be- 
gan to  clear,  with  a  strong,  cold,  and  West- 
erly wind.  At  three  the  Indians  proceeded 
on  the  hunting  expedition,  and  at  eight  they 
returned  Avithout  having  met  Avith  the  least 
success;  though  they  saw  numerous  tracks 
of  the  rein-deer.  They  came  to  an  old  beaten 
road,  which  one  of  them  followed  for  some 
time;  l)ut  it  did  not  appear  to  have  been 
'6VZ 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

lately  frequented.  Tlie  rain  now  returned, 
and  continued  till  the  morning. 

Sunday,  9. — We  renewed  our  voyage  at 
half  past  three,  the  weather  being  cold  and 
cloudy ;  but  at  ten  it  became  clear  and  mod- 
erate. We  saw  another  canoe  at  the  outside 
of  the  wood,  and  one  of  the  Indians  killed  a 
dog,  which  was  in  a  meagre,  emaciated  con- 
dition. ^Ye  perceived  various  places  where 
the  natives  had  made  their  fires ;  for  these 
people  reside  but  a  short  time  near  the  river, 
and  remove  from  one  bank  to  the  other,  as  it 
suits  their  purposes.  We  saw  a  path  Avhich 
was  connected  with  another  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river.  The  water  had  risen  con- 
siderably since  last  night,  and  there  had  been 
a  strong  current  throughout  the  day.  At 
seven  we  made  to  the  shore  and  encamped. 

Honda  I/,  10. — At  three  this  morning  we  re- 
turned to  our  canoe;  the  weather  fine  and 
clear,  with  a  light  Avind  from  the  South-East. 
The  Indians  were  before  us  in  pursuit  of 
game.  At  ten  we  landed  opposite  to  the 
mountains  which  we  had  passed  on  the  second 
of  the  last  month,  in  order  to  ascertain  the 
variation  of  the  compass  at  this  place :  but 
this  was  accomplished  in  a  very  imperfect 
manner,  as  I  could  not  depend  on  my  watch. 
One  of  the  liunters  joined  us  here,  fatigued 
and  unsuccessful.  As  these  mountains  are 
the  last  of  any  considerable  magnitude  on  the 


JOURNAT.  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

South-West  side  of  the  river,  I  ordered  my 
men  to  cross  to  that  side  of  it,  that  I  miglit 
ascend  one  of  them.  It  was  near  four  in  the 
afternoon  when  I  landed,  and  I  lost  no  time 
in  proceeding  to  the  attainment  of  my  object. 
I  was  accompanied  only  by  a  young  Indian, 
as  the  curiosity  of  my  people  was  subdued  by 
the  fatigue  they  had  undergone ;  and  we  soon 
had  reason  to  believe  that  we  should  pay 
dearly  for  the  indulgence  of  our  own.  The 
wood,  which  was  chiefly  of  spruce  lirs,  was  so 
thick  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty  we  made 
our  way  through  it.  When  we  had  walked 
upwards  of  an  hour,  the  under-wood  de- 
creased, while  the  white  birch  and  poplar 
w^ere  the  largest  and  tallest  of  their  kind  that 
I  had  ever  seen.  The  ground  now  began  to 
rise,  and  was  covered  with  small  pines,  and 
at  length  we  got  the  first  view  of  the  moun- 
tains since  we  had  left  the  canoe ;  as  they  ap- 
peared to  be  no  nearer  to  us,  though  we  had 
been  walking  for  three  hours,  than  when  we 
had  seen  them  from  the  river,  my  companion 
expressed  a  very  great  anxiety  to  return ;  his 
shoes  and  leggins  were  torn  to  pieces,  and  he 
was  alarmed  at  the  idea  of  passing  through 
such  bad  roads  during  the  night.  I  persisted, 
however,  in  proceeding,  with  a  determination 
to  pass  the  night  on  the  mountains  and  return 
on  the  morrow.  As  we  approached  then,  the 
ground  was  quite  marshy,  and  we  waded  in 
314 


NOPvTII  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

water  and  grass  up  to  the  knees,  till  we  came 
within  a  mile  of  them,  when  I  suddenh'  sunk 
up  to  my  arm-pits,  and  it  was  with  some  dif- 
ficulty that  I  extricated  myself  from  this  dis- 
agreeable situation.  I  now  found  it  impos- 
sible to  proceed ;  to  cross  this  marshy  ground 
in  a  straight  line  was  impracticable,  and  it 
extended  so  far  to  the  right  and  left,  that  I 
could  not  attempt  to  make  the  circuit;  I 
therefore  determined  to  return  to  the  canoe, 
and  arrived  there  about  midnight,  very  much 
fatigued  with  this  fruitless  jorney. 

Tuesday,  11. — We  observed  several  tracks 
along  the  beach,  and  an  encampment  at  the 
edge  of  the  Avoods,  which  appeared  to  be  five 
or  six  days  old.  We  should  have  contiinied 
our  route  along  this  side  of  the  river,  but  we 
had  not  seen  our  hunters  since  yesterday 
morning.  We  accordingly  embarked  before 
three,  and  at  five  traversed  the  river,  when 
we  saw  two  of  them  coming  down  in  search 
of  us.  They  had  killed  no  other  animals 
than  one  beaver,  and  a  few  hares.  According 
to  their  account,  the  woods  were  so  thick  that 
it  was  impossible  to  follow  the  game  through 
them.  They  had  seen  several  of  the  natives' 
encampments,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
river;  and  it  was  their  opinion  that  they  had 
discovered  us  in  our  ])assage  down  it,  and  had 
taken  care  to  avoid  us;  which  accounted  for 
tlie  small  number  we  liad  seen  on  our  return. 
315 


JOURNAL  OP  A  VOYAGE  TIIHOUGIl   THE 

I  requested  the  English  chief  to  rctm-ii 
with  me  to  tlie  other  side  of  the;  river,  in  order 
that  he  might  proceed  to  discover  the  natives, 
whose  tracks  and  habitations  we  had  seen 
there  ;  but  he  was  backward  in  conijdying  with 
my  desire,  and  proi)osed  to  send  tlie  young- 
men  ;  but  1  couhl  not  trust  to  tlicm,  and  at 
the  same  time  was  become  ratlier  doubtful  of 
him.  They  were  still  afraid  lest  I  should 
obtain  such  accounts  of  the  other  river  as 
would  induce  me  to  travel  overland  to  it,  and 
that  they  should  be  called  upon  to  accomi)any 
me.  I  was,  indeed,  informed  by  one  of  my 
own  people,  that  the  English  chief,  his  wives 
and  companions,  had  determned  to  leave  me 
on  this  side  of  the  Slave  Lake,  in  order  to  go 
to  the  country  of  the  Beaver  Indians,  and 
that  about  the  middle  of  the  winter  he  would 
return  to  that  lake,  where  he  liad  appointed 
to  meet  some  of  his  relatons,  who,  during  the 
last  spring,  had  been  engaged  in  war. 

We  now  traversed  the  river,  and  continued 
to  track  the  Indians  till  past  twelve,  when 
we  lost  all  traces  of  them  ;  in  consequence,  as 
we  imagined,  of  their  having  crossed  to  the 
Eastern  side.  We  saw  several  dogs  on  both 
shores ;  and  one  of  the  young  Indians  killed 
a  wolf,  which  the  men  ate  with  great  satis- 
faction :  we  shot,  also,  fifteen  young  geese 
that  were  now  beginning  to  fly.  It  was  eight 
when  we  took  our  evening  station,  having 
310 


XORTH-AVEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

lost  four  hours  in  making  our  traverses. 
There  was  no  interruption  of  the  line  weather 
during  the  course  of  this  clay. 

Wednesday,    12. — We    proceeded    on    our 
voyage  at  three  this  morning,  and  despatched 
the  two  young  Indians  across  the  river,  that 
we  might  not  miss  any  of  the  natives  that 
should  be  on  the  banks  of  it.     We  saw  many 
places  where  fires  had  been  lately  made  along 
the   beach,   as  well   as  lire  running  in   the 
woods.     At  four  we  arrived  at  an  encamp- 
ment  which   had    been    left   this   morning. 
Their  tracks  were  observable  in  several  places 
in  the  woods,  and  as  it  might  be  presumed 
that  they  could  not  be  at  any  great  distance, 
it  was  proposed  to  the  chief  to  accompany  me 
in  search  of  them.     We  accordingly,  though 
with  some  hesitation  on  his  part,  penetrated 
several  miles  into  the  woods,  but  without  dis- 
covering the  objects  of  our  research.      The 
fire  had  spread  all  over  the  country,  and  had 
burned  about  three  inches  of  the  black,  light 
soil,  which  covered  a  body  of  cold  clay,  that 
was  so  hard  as  not  to  receive  the  least  im- 
pression  of   our  feet.     At  ten  we  returned 
from    our   unsuccessful    excursion.     In    the 
mean    time    the    hunters    had   killed    seven 
geese.     There  were  several  showers  of  rain, 
accompanied  with  gusts  of  wind  and  tliunder. 
The  nets  had  been  set  during  our  absence. 
Thursdaij,  13. — The  nets  were  taken  up, 
317 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

l)ut  not  one  lish  was  found  in  them ;  and  at 
half  past  three  we  continued  our  route,  with 
very  favourable  weather.  We  passed  several 
places,  where  fires  had  been  made  by  the  na- 
tives, and  many  tracks  were  perceptible  along 
the  beach.  At  seven  we  were  opposite  the 
island  where  our  pemmican  had  been  con- 
cealed :  two  of  the  Indians  were  accordingly 
despatched  in  search  of  it,  and  it  proved  very 
acceptable,  as  it  rendered  us  more  independ- 
ent of  the  provisions  which  were  to  be  ob- 
tained by  our  fowling  pieces,  and  qualified 
us  to  get  out  of  the  river  without  that  delay 
which  our  hunters  would  otherwise  have  re- 
quired. In  a  short  time  we  perceived  a  smoke 
on  the  shore  to  the  South-West,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  three  leagues,  Avhich  did  not  appear 
to  proceed  from  any  running  fire.  The  In- 
dians, who  were  a  little  way  ahead  of  us,  did 
not  discover  it,  being  engaged  in  the  pursuit 
of  a  flock  of  geese,  at  which  they  fired  several 
shots,  when  the  smoke  immediately  disap- 
peared ;  and  in  a  short  time  we  saw  several 
of  the  natives  run  along  the  shore,  some  of 
whom  entered  their  canoes.  Though  we  were 
almost  opposite  to  them,  we  could  not  cross 
the  river  without  going  further  up  it,  from 
the  strength  of  the  current;  I  therefore  or- 
dered our  Indians  to  make  every  possible  ex- 
ertion, in  order  to  speak  with  them,  and  wait 
our  arrival.  But  as  soon  as  our  small  canoe 
318 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

struck  off,  we  could  perceive  the  poor  af- 
frighted people  hasten  to  the  shore,  and  after 
drawing  their  canoes  on  the  beach,  hurry  into 
the  woods.  It  was  past  ten  before  we  landed 
at  the  place  where  they  had  deserted  their 
canoes,  which  were  four  in  number.  They 
were  so  terrified  that  they  had  left  several 
articles  on  the  beach.  I  was  very  much  dis- 
pleased with  my  Indians,  who  instead  of 
seeking  the  natives,  were  dividing  their  prop- 
erty. I  rebuked  the  English  chief  with  some 
severity  for  his  conduct,  and  immediately  or- 
dered him,  his  young  men,  and  my  own  peo- 
ple, to  go  in  search  of  the  fugitivs,  but  their 
fears  had  made  them  too  nimble  for  us,  and 
we  could  not  overtake  them.  We  saw  several 
dogs  in  the  woods,  and  some  of  them  followed 
us  to  our  canoe. 

The  English  chief  was  very  much  displeased 
at  my  reproaches,  and  expressed  himself  to 
me  in  person  to  that  effect.  This  was  the 
very  opportunity  which  I  wanted,  to  make 
him  acquainted  with  my  dissatisfaction  for 
some  time  past.  I  stated  to  him  that  I  had 
come  a  great  Avay,  and  at  a  very  considerable 
expense,  without  having  completed  the  object 
of  my  wishes,  and  that  I  suspected  he  had 
concealed  from  me  a  principal  part  of  what 
the  natives  had  told  him  respecting  the  coun- 
try, lest  he  should  be  obliged  to  follow  me : 
that  his  i'easou  for  not  killing  game,  t&c,  was 
319 


.lOURNAr.  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH   THE 

liiii  jealousy,  which  likewise  prevented  hiiu 
from  looking  after  the  natives  as  he  ought; 
and  that  we  had  never  given  him  any  cause 
for  any  suspicions  of  us.  These  suggestions 
irritated  him  in  a  very  high  degree,  and  he 
accused  me  of  speaking  ill  words  to  him;  he 
denied  the  charge  of  jealousy,  and  declared 
that  he  did  not  conceal  any  thing  from  us; 
an  that  as  to  the  ill  success  of  their  hunting, 
it  arose  from  the  nature  of  the  country,  and 
the  scarcity,  which  had  hitherto  appeared,  of 
animals  in  it.  He  concluded  hy  informing 
me  that  he  w^ould  not  accompany  me  any 
further:  that  though  he  was  without  ammu- 
nition, he  could  live  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  slaves  (the  name  given  to  the  inhabitants 
of  that  part  of  the  country),  and  that  he 
would  remain  among  them.  His  harangue 
was  succeeded  by  a  loud  and  bitter  lamenta- 
tion ;  and  his  relations  assisted  the  vocifera- 
tions of  his  grief;  though  they  said  that  their 
tears  flowed  for  their  dead  friends.  I  did 
not  interrupt  their  grief  for  two  hours,  but  as 
I  could  not  Avell  do  Avithout  them,  I  was  at 
length  obliged  to  soothe  it,  and  induce  the 
chief  to  change  his  resolution,  which  he  did, 
but  Avith  great  apparent  reluctance ;  when  we 
embarked  as  we  had  hitherto  done. 

The  articles  Avhich  the  fugitives  had  left  be- 
hind  them,   on  the   present   occasion,    were 
bows,  arrows,  snares  for  moose  and  rein-deer, 
320 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

and  for  hares ;  to  these  may  be  added  a  few 
dishes,  made  of  bark,  some  skins  of  the  mar- 
ten and  the  beaver,  and  old  beaver  robes, 
Avith  a  small  robe  made  of  the  skin  of  the 
lynx.  Their  canoes  were  coarsely  made  of 
the  bark  of  the  spruce-fir,  and  will  carry  two 
or  three  people.  I  ordered  my  men  to  remove 
them  to  the  shade,  and  gave  most  of  the  other 
articles  to  the  young  Indians.  The  English 
chief  would  not  accept  of  any  of  them.  In 
the  place,  and  as  the  purchase  of  them,  I  left 
some  cloth,  some  small  knives,  a  file,  two  fire- 
steels,  a  comb,  rings,  with  beads  and  awls. 
1  also  ordered  a  marten  skin  to  be  placed  on 
a  proper  mould,  and  a  beaver  skin  to  be 
stretched  on  a  frame,  to  which  I  tied  a 
scraper.  The  Indians  were  of  opinion  that 
all  these  articles  would  be  lost,  as  the  na- 
tivs  were  so  much  frightened  that  they  would 
never  return.  Here  we  lost  six  hours;  and 
on  our  quitting  the  place,  three  of  the  dogs 
which  I  have  already  mentioned  followed  us 
along  the  beach. 

We  pitched  our  tents  at  half  past  eight,  at 
the  entrance  of  the  river  of  the  mountain; 
and  while  the  people  were  unloading  the 
canoe,  I  took  a  walk  along  the  beach,  and  on 
the  shoals,  which  being  uncovered  since  we 
passed  down,  by  the  sinking  of  the  waters, 
were  now  white  with  a  saline  substance.  T 
sent  for  the  English  chief  to  sup  with  me, 
21  oJl 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGK   THROUGH  THE 

aud  a  dram  or  two  dispelled  all  his  heart- 
buruing  aud  discontent.  He  iufornied  me 
that  it  was  a  custom  with  the  Chepewyau 
chiefs  to  go  to  war  after  they  had  shed  tears, 
in  order  to  wipe  away  the  disgrace  attached 
to  such  a  feminine  weakness,  and  that  in  the 
ensuing  spring  he  should  not  fail  to  execute 
his  design ;  at  the  same  time  he  declared  his 
intention  to  continue  with  us  as  long  as  I 
should  want  him.  I  took  care  that  he  should 
carry  some  liquid  consolation  to  his  lodge,  to 
prevent  the  return  of  his  chagrin.  The 
weather  was  fine,  and  the  Indians  killed  three 
geese. 

Friday,  IJf.. — At  a  quarter  before  four  this 
morning,  we  returned  to  our  canoe,  and  went 
about  two  miles  up  the  river  of  the  moun- 
tains. Fire  was  in  the  ground  on  each  side  of 
it.  In  traversing,  I  took  soundings,  and 
found  five,  four  and  an  half,  and  three  and 
an  half  fathoms  water.  Its  stream  was  very 
muddy,  and  formed  a  cloudy  streak  along  the 
water  of  the  great  river,  on  the  West  side  to 
the  Eastern  rapid,  where  the  waters  of  the 
two  rivers  at  length  blend  in  one.  It  was  im- 
possible not  to  consider  it  as  an  extraordinary 
circumstance,  that  the  current  of  the  former 
river  should  not  incorporate  with  that  of  the 
latter,  but  flow,  as  it  were,  in  distinct  streams 
at  so  great  a  distance,  and  till  the  contracted 
state  of  the  channel  unites  them.  We  passed 
322 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

several  eueampnients  of  the  natives,  and  a 
river  which  flowed  in  from  the  Xorth,  that 
had  the  ap[iearance  of  being  navigable,  "\^'e 
concluded  our  voyage  of  this  day  at  half  past 
Ave  in  the  afternoon.  There  were  plenty  of 
berries,  which  my  people  called  jwires :  they 
are  of  a  purple  hue,  somewhat  bigger  than  a 
pea,  and  of  a  luscious  taste ;  there  were  also 
gooseberries,  and  a  few  strawberries. 

Satunhii/,  15. — We  continued  our  course 
from  three  in  the  morning  till  half  past  five 
in  the  afterooon.  We  saw  several  encamp- 
ments along  the  beach,  till  it  became  too  nar- 
row to  admit  them  ;  when  the  banks  rose  into 
a  considerable  degree  of  elevation,  and  there 
were  more  eddy  currents.  The  Indians  killed 
twelve  geese,  and  berries  were  collected  in 
great  abundance.  The  weather  was  sultry 
throughout  the  day. 

Sunday,  16. — We  continued  our  voyage  at 
a  quarter  before  four,  and  in  five  hours  passed 
the  place  where  we  had  been  stationed  on  the 
13th  of  June.  Here  the  river  widened,  and 
its  shores  became  flat.  The  land  on  the 
ISTorth  side  is  low,  composed  of  a  black  soil, 
mixed  with  stones,  but  agreeably  covered 
with  the  aspen,  the  poplar,  the  white  birch, 
the  spruce-fir,  &c.  The  current  was  so  mod- 
erate, that  we  proceeded  upon  it  almost  as 
fast  as  in  dead  water.  At  twelve  we  ]iassed 
au  encampment  of  three  fires,  which  was  the 
323 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

only  one  we  saw  in  the  course  of  the  day. 
The  weather  was  the  same  as  ^-esterday. 

Mon(I<i[/,  17. — We  proceeded  at  half  past 
three  ;  and  saw  tliree  successive  encampments. 
From  the  peculiar  sti'ucture  of  the  hnts,  we 
imagined  that  some  of  the  lled-Knife  Indians 
had  been  in  this  part  of  the  country,  though 
it  is  not  nsual  for  them  to  come  this  way.  I 
had  last  night  ordered  tlio  young  Indians  to 
precede  us,  for  the  jturpose  of  hunting,  and 
at  ten  we  overtook  tliein.  They  had  killed 
five  young  swans;  and  the  Englisli  chief  pre- 
sented us  with  an  eagle,  three  cranes,  a  small 
beaver,  and  two  geese.  We  encamped  at 
seven  this  evening  on  the  same  spot  which 
had  been  our  resting-place  on  the  29th  of 
June. 

Tuesday,  18. — At  four  this  morning  I 
equipped  all  the  Indians  for  an  hunting  ex- 
cursion, and  sent  them  onwai-d,  as  our  stock 
of  provision  was  nearly  exhausted.  We  fol- 
lowed at  half  past  six,  and  crossed  over  to  the 
Korth  shore,  wliere  the  land  is  low  and 
scarcely  visible  in  the  horizon.  It  was  near 
twelve  when  we  arrived.  I  now  got  an  ob- 
servation, when  it  was  61.  .38.  North  latitude. 
We  were  near  five  miles  to  the  North  of  the 
main  channel  of  the  river.  The  fresh  tracks 
and  beds  of  buffaloes  were  very  perceptible. 

Near  this  place  a  river  flowed  in  from  the 
Horn  Mountains,  which  are  at  no  great  dis- 
324 


NOHTH-WEST   CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

tauce.  We  landed  at  tive  in  the  afternoon, 
and  before  the  canoe  was  unloaded,  the  Eng- 
lish chief  arrived  with  the  tongue  of  a  eow, 
or  female  buffalo,  when  four  men  and  the  In- 
dians were  despatched  for  the  flesh ;  but  they 
did  not  return  till  it  was  dark.  They  in- 
formed me,  that  they  had  seen  several  human 
tracks  in  the  sand  on  the  opposite  island. 
The  fine  weather  continued  without  interrup- 
tion. 

Wednesdau,  19. — The  Indians  Avere  again 
sent  forward  in  pursuit  of  game ;  and  some 
time  being  employed  in  gumming  the  canoe, 
we  did  not  embark  till  half  past  five,  and  at 
nine  we  landed  to  wait  the  return  of  the 
hunters.  I  here  found  the  variation  of  the 
compass  to  be  about  twenty  degrees  East. 

The  people  made  themselves  paddles  and 
repaired  the  canoe.  It  is  an  extraordinary 
circumstance  for  which  I  do  not  pretend  to 
account,  that  there  is  some  peeuliar  quality 
in  the  water  of  this  river,  which  corrodes 
wood,  from  the  destructive  effect  it  had  on 
the  paddles.  The  hunters  arrived  at  a  late 
hour,  without  having  seen  any  large  animals. 
Their  booty  consisted  only  of  three  swans  and 
as  many  geese.  The  women  were  employed 
in  gathering  cranberries  and  crowberries, 
which  were  found  in  great  abundance. 

Thursdui/,    i?().— We    embarked     at    four 
o'clock,    and    took    the   North   side   of   the 
325 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAOE   TlllJorcJII    THE 

channel,  tliough  the  current  was  on  tliat  side 
much  stronger,  in  order  to  take  a  view  of  the 
river,  which  had  been  mentioned  to  ni(>  in  our 
passage  downwards,  as  flowing  from  iJie 
country  of  the  Beaver  Indians,  aiul  wliicli  fell 
in  liereabouts.  We  coukl  not,  liowever,  dis- 
cover it,  and  it  is  proljable  that  tlie  account 
was  referable  to  the  river  wliich  we  had 
passed  on  Tuesday.  The  current  was  very 
strong,  and  we  crossed  over  to  an  island  op- 
posite to  us ;  here  it  was  still  more  impetu- 
ous, and  assumed  the  hurry  of  a  rapid.  We 
found  an  awl  and  a  paddle  on  the  side  of  the 
water;  the  former  we  knew  to  belong  to  the 
Knisteneaux :  I  supposed  it  to  be  the  chief 
Merde-d'our's  and  his  party,  who  went  to 
war  last  S])i-ing,  and  had  taken  tliis  route  on 
their  return  to  Athabasca.  Nor  is  it  improb- 
able that  they  may  have  been  the  cause  that 
we  saw  so  few  of  the  natives  on  tlie  banks  of 
this  river.  The  weather  was  raw  and  cloudy, 
and  formed  a  very  unpleasant  contrast  to  the 
warm,  sunny  days,  which  immediately  pre- 
ceded it.  We  took  up  our  abode  for  the 
niglit  at  half  past  seven,  on  the  Northern 
shore,  where  the  adjacent  country  is  both  low 
and  flat.  The  Indians  killed  five  young 
swans,  and  a  beaver.  There  was  an  appear- 
ance of  rain. 

Fridinj,  21. — The  weather  Avas  cold,  with  a 
strong  Easterly  wind  and  frequent  showers, 
320 


NORTH-WEST   roXTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

so  that  we  were  detained  in  our  station.  In 
the  afternoon  the  Indians  got  on  the  track  of 
a  moose-deer,  but  were  not  so  fortunate  as  to 
overtake  it. 

Saturday,  22. — The  wind  veered  round  to 
the  Westward,  and  continued  to  blow  strong 
and  cohl.  We,  however,  renewed  our  voyage, 
and  in  three  hours  reached  the  entrance  of 
the  Slave  Lake,  under  half  sail;  with  the 
paddle,  it  would  have  taken  us  at  least  eight 
hours.  The  Indians  did  not  arrive  till  four 
hours  after  us ;  but  the  wind  was  so  violent, 
that  it  was  not  expedient  to  venture  into  the 
lake ;  we  therefore  set  a  net,  and  encamped 
for  the  night.  The  women  gathered  large 
quantities  of  the  fruit  already  mentioned, 
called  Pathagomenan,  and  cranberries,  crow- 
berries,  mooseberries,  &c.  The  Indians  killed 
two  swans  and  three  geese. 

Sunday,  23. — The  net  produced  but  five 
small  pike,  and  at  live  we  embarked,  and  en- 
tered the  lake  by  the  same  channel  through 
which  we  had  passed  from  it.  The  South- 
West  side  would  have  been  the  shortest,  but 
we  Avere  not  certain  of  there  being  plenty  of 
fish  along  the  coast,  and  we  were  sure  of 
Hnding  abundance  of  them  in  the  course  we 
prefiM'red.  Besides,  I  expected  to  find  my 
people  at  the  place  where  I  left  them,  as  they 
had  received  orders  to  remain  there  till  the 
fall. 

327 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAOK   THKorcJlI   THE 

We  paddled  a  long  way  into  a  deep  bay  to 
get  the  wind,  and  having  left  our  mast  be- 
hind us,  we  landed  to  cut  another.  We  then 
lioisted  sail,  and  were  driven  on  at  a  great 
rate.  At  twelve  the  wind  and  swell  wviv 
augmented  to  such  a  degree,  that  our  under 
yard  broke,  but  luckily  the  mast  thwart  re- 
sisted, till  we  hail  time  to  fasten  down  the 
yard  with  a  pole,  without  lowering  sail. 
We  took  in  a  large  quantity  of  water,  and 
had  our  mast  given  way,  in  all  probability, 
we  should  have  tilled  and  sunk.  Our  course 
continued  to  be  very  dangerous,  along  a  flat 
lee-shore,  without  being  able  to  land  till 
three  in  the  afternoon.  Two  men  were  con- 
tinually employed  in  bailing  out  the  water 
which  we  took  in  on  all  sides.  We  fortu- 
nately doubled  a  point  that  screened  us  from 
the  wind  and  swell,  and  encamped  for  the 
night,  in  order  to  wait  for  our  Indians.  We 
then  set  our  nets,  made  a  yard  and  mast,  and 
gummed  the  canoe.  On  visiting  the  nets,  we 
found  six  white  lish,  and  two  pike.  The 
women  gathered  cranberries  and  crowberries 
in  great  plenty;  and  as  the  night  came  on, 
the  weather  became  more  moderate. 

Mondaij,  2^. — Our  nets  this  mornhig  pro- 
duced fourteen  white  fish,  ten  pikes,  and  a 
couple  of  trouts.  At  five  we  embarked  with  a 
light  breeze  from  the  South,  when  we  hoisted 
sail,  and  proceeded  slowly,  as  our  Indians 
328 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

had  uot  come  up  with  us.  At  eleven  we  went 
oil  shore  to  prepare  the  kettle,  and  diy  the 
nets;  at  one  we  were  again  on  the  water. 
At  four  in  the  afternoon,  we  perceived  a  large 
canoe  with  a  sail,  and  two  small  ones  ahead ; 
we  soon  came  up  with  them,  when  they 
proved  to  be  M.  Le  Roux  and  an  Indian,  with 
liis  family,  who  were  on  a  hunting  party,  and 
had  been  out  twenty-five  days.  It  was  his 
intention  to  have  gone  as  far  as  the  river,  to 
leave  a  letter  for  me,  to  inform  me  of  his 
situation.  He  had  seen  no  more  Indians 
where  1  had  left  him ;  but  had  made  a 
voyage  to  Lac  la  Marte,  where  he  met  eigh- 
teen small  canoes  of  the  Slave  Indians,  from 
whom  he  obtained  five  pack  of  skins,  which 
were  principally  those  of  the  marten.  There 
were  four  Beaver  Indians  among  them,  who 
had  bartered  the  greatest  part  of  the  above 
mentioned  articdes  with  them,  before  his  ar- 
rival. They  informed  him  that  their  rela- 
tions had  more  skins,  but  that  they  were 
afraid  to  venture  with  them,  though  they 
had  been  informed  that  people  were  to  come 
with  goods  to  barter  for  them.  He  gave 
these  people  a  i)air  of  ice  chisels  each,  and 
other  articles,  and  sent  them  away  to  con- 
duct their  friends  to  the  Slave  Lake,  where 
he  was  to  remain  during  the  succeeding 
winter. 

AVe   set   three  nets,   and  in    a  short  time 
329 


.lorUNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE  THKoroH   TIIK 

cHUglit  twenty  fish  of  dii'tVreiit  kinds.  In  tlie 
dusk  of  tlie  evening,  tlie  Englisli  chief  arrived 
with  a  most  i)itifnl  account  that  lie  had  like 
to  liave  been  drowned  in  tr3ang  to  follow  us ; 
and  that  the  other  men  had  also  a  very  nar- 
row escape.  Their  canoe,  he  said,  liad  broken 
on  the  swell,  at  some  distance  from  the  shore, 
l)ut  as  it  was  flat,  tliey  had  with  his  assist- 
ance been  able  t(,)  save  themselves.  He  added, 
that  he  left  them  lamenting,  lest  they  should 
not  overtake  me,  if  I  did  not  wait  for  them ; 
he  also  expressed  his  apprehensions  that  they 
would  not  be  able  to  repair  their  canoe.  This 
evening  I  gave  my  men  some  rum  to  cheer 
them  after  their  fatigues. 

TuesJaij,  25. — We  rose  this  morning  at  a 
late  hour,  when  we  visited  the  nets,  which 
l^rodueed  but  few  fish  :  my  people,  indeed, 
l^artook  of  the  stores  of  M.  Le  Roux.  At 
eleven,  the  young  Indians  arrived,  and  re- 
proached me  for  having  left  them  so  far  be- 
hind. They  had  killed  two  swans,  and 
brought  me  one  of  them.  The  wind  was 
Southerly  throughout  the  day,  and  too  strong 
for  us  to  depart,  as  we  were  at  the  foot  of  a 
grand  traverse.  At  noon  I  had  an  observa- 
tion, which  gave  61.  29.  iS'orth  latitude. 
Such  was  the  state  of  the  weather,  that  we 
could  not  visit  our  nets.  In  the  afternoon, 
the  sky  darkened,  and  there  was  lightning, 
accompanied  with  loud  claps  of  thunder. 
330 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT  OF  A^IERICA. 

The  wind  also  veered  round  to  the  Westward, 
and  blew  a  hurricane. 

Wednesday,  !;26. — It  rained  throughout  the 
night,  and  till  eight  in  the  morning,  without 
any  alteration  in  the  wind.  The  Indians 
went  on  a  hunting  excursion,  but  returned 
altogether  without  success  in  the  evening. 
One  of  them  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  miss  a 
moose-deer.  In  the  afternoon  there  were 
heavy  showers,  with  thunder,  &c. 

Tltvrsddji,  27. — We  embarked  before  four, 
and  hoisted  sail.  At  nine  we  landed  to  dress 
victuals,  and  wait  for  jNI.  Le  Roux  and  the 
Indians.  At  eleven,  we  proceeded  with  fine 
and  calm  weather.  At  four  in  the  afternoon, 
a  light  breeze  sprang  up  to  the  Southward,  to 
which  we  spread  our  sail,  and  at  half  past 
five  in  the  afternoon,  went  on  shore  for  the 
night.  We  then  set  our  nets.  The  English 
chief  and  his  people  being  quite  exhausted 
with  fatigue,  he  this  morning  expressed  his 
desire  to  remain  behind,  in  order  to  proceed 
to  the  country  of  the  Beaver  Indians,  engag- 
ing at  the  same  time,  that  he  would  return  to 
Athabasca  in  the  course  of  the  winter. 

Fridaij,  28. — It  ))k'\v  ^■ery  hard  throughout 
the  night,  and  this  morning,  so  that  we  found 
it  a  business  of  some  difficulty  to  get  to  our 
nets;  our  troul)le,  however,  was  repaid  by  a 
considerable  rpiantity  of  white  fish,  trout,  &c. 
Towards  the  afternoon   the  wind  increased. 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THHOLUII  THE 

Two  oi'  the  men  who  had  been  gathering  ber- 
ries saw  two  moose-deer,  with  the  tracks  of 
buffaloes  and  rein-deer.  About  sunset  we 
heard  two  shots,  and  saw  a  fire  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  bay ;  we  accordingly  made  a 
large  lire  also,  that  our  position  might  be  de- 
termined. When  we  were  all  gone  to  bed,  we 
heard  the  report  of  a  gun  very  near  us,  and 
in  a  very  short  time  the  English  chief  pre- 
sented himself  drenched  with  wet,  and  in 
much  apparent  confusion  informed  me  that 
the  canoe  with  his  companions  was  br(jken  to 
pieces ;  and  that  they  had  lost  their  fowling 
pieces,  and  the  flesh  of  a  rein-deer,  which 
they  had  killed  this  morning.  They  were, 
he  said,  at  a  very  short  distance  from  us ; 
and  at  the  same  time  requested  that  fire  might 
be  sent  to  them,  as  they  were  starving  with 
cold.  They  and  his  women,  however,  soon 
joined  us,  and  were  immediately  accommo- 
dated witli  dry  clothes. 

Sdtiirdd)/,  20. — I  sent  tlie  Indians  on  an 
hunting  i)aity,  but  they  returned  without  su(;- 
cess ;  and  tliey  expressed  their  determination 
not  to  follow  me  any  further,  from  their  ap- 
prehension of  being  drowned. 

Sundaij,  30. — We  embarked  at  one  this 
morning,  and  took  from  the  nets  a  large 
trout,  and  twenty  white  fish.  At  sunrise  a 
smart  aft  breeze  sprang  uj:),  which  wafted  us 
to  M.  Le  Roux's  house  by  two  in  the  after- 
332 


NORTH  WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

iioon.  It  was  late  before  he  and  our  Indians 
arrived;  when,  according  to  a  promise  which 
I  had  made  the  hitter,  I  gave  them  a  plenti- 
fi'l  equipment  of  iron  ware,  ammunition,  to- 
bacco, &c.,  as  a  recompense  for  the  toil  and 
inconvenience  they  had  sustained  with  me. 

I  proposed  to  the  English  chief  to  proceed 
to  the  country  of  the  Beaver  Indians,  and 
bring  them  to  dispose  of  their  peltries  to  jNI. 
Le  Roux,  whom  1  intended  to  leave  there  the 
ensuing  winter.  He  had  already  engaged  to 
be  at  Athabasca,  in  the  month  of  ]\Iarch  next, 
with  plenty  of  furs. 

Monday,  SI. — I  sat  up  all  night  to  make 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  embarka- 
tion of  this  morning,  and  to  prepare  instruc- 
tions for  M.  Le  Roux.  We  obtained  some 
provisions  here,  and  parted  from  him  at  five, 
with  fine  calm  weather.  It  soon,  however, 
became  necessary  to  land  on  a  small  island, 
to  stop  the  leakage  of  the  canoe,  Avhich  had 
been  occasioned  by  the  shot  of  an  arrow  under 
the  water  mark,  by  some  Indian  children. 
While  this  business  was  proceeding,  we  took 
the  opportunity  of  dressing  some  fish.  At 
twelve,  the  wind  sprang  up  from  the  South - 
East,  which  was  in  the  teeth  of  our  direction, 
so  that  our  progress  was  greatly  impeded.  I 
had  an  observation,  whicli  gave  62.  15.  North 
latitude.     We  landed  at  seven  in  the  evening, 

and  pitched  our  tents. 

333 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   THROUGH   THE 

Tuesdaij,  1. — We  continued  our  voyage  at 
five  in  the  morning,  the  weather  calm  and 
line,  and  passed  the  Isle  a  la  Caclie  about 
twelve,  but  could  not  jjerceive  the  land,  which 
Avas  seen  in  our  former  passage.  On  passing 
the  Carreboeuf  Islands,  at  five  in  the  after- 
noon, we  saw  h'ud  to  the  South  by  West, 
which  we  thought  was  the  opposite  side  of 
the  lake,  stretcliing  away  to  a  great  distance. 
We  landed  at  half  past  six  in  the  evening, 
when  there  was  thunder,  and  an  ai)pearance 
of  change  in  the  weather. 

Wednesdai/,  2. — It  rained  and  blew  liard 
the  latter  part  of  the  night.  At  half  j^ast 
five  the  rain  subsided,  when  we  made  a  trav- 
erse of  twelve  miles,  and  took  in  a  good  deal 
of  water.  At  twelve  it  became  calm,  when  I 
had  an  observation,  which  gave  61.  36. 
North  latitude.  At  three  in  the  afternoon, 
there  was  a  slight  breeze  from  the  Westward 
which  soon  increased,  when  we  hoisted  sail, 
and  took  a  traverse  of  twenty-four  miles,  for 
the  point  of  the  old  Fort,  where  we  arrived 
at  seven,  and  stopped  for  the  night.  This 
traverse  shortened  our  way  three  leagues ;  in- 
deed we  did  not  expect  to  have  cleared  the 
lake  in  such  a  short  time. 

T/tufsdat/,  3. — It  blew  with  gi'eat  violence 

throughout    the   night,    and    at  four  in    the 

morning  we  embarked,  when  Ave  did  not  make 

more  than  five  miles  in  three  hours,  Avithout 

334 


NORTHWEST  CONTINENT  OF  AMERICA. 

stopping;  iiotwithstaiicling  we  were  sheltered 
from  the  swell  by  a  long  bank.  We  now  en- 
tered the  small  river,  where  the  wind  could 
have  ho  effect  upon  us.  There  were  frequent 
showers  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  w^e  en- 
camped at  six  in  the  evening. 

Friday,  4- — T^^e  morning  w^as  dark  and 
cloudy,  nevertheless  we  embarked  at  live ; 
but  at  ten  it  cleared  up.  We  saw  a  few  fowl, 
and  at  seven  in  the  evening,  went  on  shore 
for  the  night. 

Satnnlai/,  o. — The  weather  continued  to  be 
cloudy.  At  five  we  proceeded,  and  at  eight  it 
began  to  rain  very  hard.  In  about  half  an 
hour  Ave  put  to  shore,  and  were  detained  for 
the  remaining  part  of  the  day. 

Sundinj,  6. — It  rained  tliroughout  the  night, 
with  a  strong  North  Avind.  Xumerous  flocks 
of  wild  fowl  passed  to  the  Southward ;  at  six 
in  the  afternoon,  the  rain,  in  some  measure, 
subsided,  and  we  embarked,  but  it  soon  re- 
turned with  renewed  violence;  Ave,  neverthe- 
less took  the  advantage  of  an  aft  Avind, 
though  it  cost  us  a  complete  drenching.  The 
hunters  killed  seven  geese,  and  we  pitched 
our  tents  at  half  past  six  in  the  CA-ening. 

Moadaij,  7. — We  Avere  on  the  water  at  five 
this  morning,  with  a  head  wind,  accompanied 
by  successive  showers.  At  three  in  the  after- 
noon, Ave  ran  the  canoe  on  a  stump,  and  it 
filled  with  water  before  she  C(juld  be  got  to 
335 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   THROUGH   THE 

land.  Two  hours  were  employed  in  repairing 
her,  and  at  seven  in  the  evening,  we  took  our 
station  for  the  night. 

Tuesfhr)/,  8. — We  renewed  onr  voyage  at 
half  past  four  in  a  thick  mist  which  lasted 
till  nine,  when  it  cleared  away,  aJid  fine 
weather  succeeded.  At  three  in  the  after- 
noon we  came  to  the  first  carrying-place,  Poy- 
taye  des  Not/es,  and  encamped  at  the  npper 
end  of  it  to  dry  our  clothes,  some  of  which 
were  almost  rotten. 

Wednesday,  9. — We  embarked  at  five  in 
the  morning,  and  our  canoe  Avas  damaged  on 
the  men's  shoulders,  who  were  bearing  it  over 
the  carrying-place,  called  Portage  du  Che- 
tique.  The  guide  repaired  her,  however, 
while  the  other  men  "were  employed  in  carry- 
ing the  baggage.  The  canoe  was  gummed  at 
the  carrying-place  named  the  Portage  de  la, 
Montague.  After  having  passed  the  carrying- 
places,  we  encamped  at  the  Dog  River,  at 
half  past  four  in  the  afternoon,  in  a  state  of 
great  fatigue.  The  canoe  was  again  gummed, 
and  paddles  were  made  to  replace  those  that 
had  been  broken  in  ascending  the  rapids.  A 
swan  was  the  only  animal  we  killed  through- 
out the  day. 

Thursdai/,  10. — There  was  rain  and  violent 

wind   during  the  night :  in  the  morning  the 

former    sul)sided    and   the    latter    increased. 

At  half   past  five  we  continued  our  course 

336 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

with  a  Xol•tll-^Yestel■ly  wind.  At  seven  we 
hoisted  sail :  in  the  forenoon  there  Avere  fre- 
quent showers  of  rain  and  hail,  and  in  the 
afternoon  two  showers  of  snow :  the  wind 
was  at  this  time  very  strong,  and  at  six  in 
the  evening  we  landed  at  a  lodge  of  Kniste- 
neaux,  consisting  of  three  men  and  five  wom- 
en and  children.  They  were  on  their  return 
from  war,  and  one  of  them  was  very  sick : 
they  separated  from  the  rest  of  their  party  in 
the  enemy's  country,  from  absolute  hunger. 
After  this  separation,  they  met  with  a  family 
of  the  hostile  tribe,  whom  they  destroyed. 
They  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  fate  of 
their  friends,  but  imagined  that  they  had  re- 
turned to  the  Peace  River,  or  had  perished 
for  want  of  food.  I  gave  medicine  to  the 
sick,*  and  a  small  portion  of  ammunition  to 

*  This  man  had  conceived  an  idea,  that  the  people 
with  whom  he  had  been  at  war,  had  thrown  medi- 
cine at  him,  which  had  caused  his  present  complaint, 
and  that  he  despaired  of  recovery.  The  natives  are 
so  superstitious,  tliat  this  idea  alone  was  sufficient,  to 
kill  him.  Of  this  weakness  I  took  advantage;  and 
assured  him,  that  if  he  would  never  more  go  to  war 
with  such  poor  defenceless  people,  I  would  cui-e 
him.  To  this  proposition  he  readil}'  consented,  and 
on  my  giving  him  medicine,  which  consisted  of 
Turlington's  balsam,  mixed  in  water,  I  declared 
that  it  would  lose  its  effect,  if  he  was  not  sincere  in 
the  promise  that  he  made  me.  In  short,  he  actually 
recovered,  was  true  to  his  engagements,  and  on  all 
occasions  manifested  his  irratitude  to  me. 

22  337 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

the  healthy ;  which,  indeed,  they  very  nuich 
wanted,  as  they  had  entirely  lived  lor  the 
last  six  months  on  the  produce  of  their  bows 
and  arrows.  They  appeared  to  have  been 
great  sufferers  by  their  expedition. 

Friday,  11. — It  froze  hard  during  the 
night,  and  was  very  cold  throughout  the  day, 
with  an  appearance  of  snow.  We  embarked 
at  half  past  four  in  the  morning,  and  con- 
tinued our  course  till  six  in  the  evenhig, 
when  we  landed  for  the  night  at  our  encamp- 
ment of  the  third  of  June. 

Saturday,  12. — The  weather  was  cloudy, 
and  also  very  cold.  At  :igh^,  we  embarked 
with  a  North-East  wind,  and  entered  the 
Lake  of  the  Hills.  About  ten,  the  wind 
veered  to  the  West-ward,  and  was  as  strong 
as  we  could  bear  it  with  the  high  sail,  so 
that  we  arrived  nt  Chepewyan  fort  by  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  where  we  found  Mr. 
Macleod,  with  five  men  busily  employed  in 
building  n  new  house.  Here,  then,  we  con- 
cluded thic.  voyage,  which  had  occupied  the 
considerable  space  of  one  hundred  and  two 
days. 


338 


NORTH-WEST  COXTINEXT   OF  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

OCTOBER  10,  1792. 

Having  made  every  necessary  preparation, 
I  left  Fort  Chepewyan,  to  proceed  up  the 
Peace  River.  I  had  resolved  to  go  as  far  as 
our  most  distant  settlement,  which  would  oc- 
cupy the  remaining  part  of  the  season,  it  be- 
ing the  route  by  which  I  proposed  to  attempt 
my  next  discovery,  across  the  mountains 
from  the  source  of  that  river ;  for  whatever 
distance  I  could  reach  this  fall,  would  be  a 
proportionate  advancement  of  my  voyage. 

In  consequence  of  this  design,  I  left  the 
establishment  of  Fort  Chepewyan,  in  charge 
of  ]\Ir.  Roderic  Mackenzie,  accompanied  by 
two  canoes  laden  with  the  necessary  articles 
for  trade:  we  accordingly  steered  West  for 
one  of  the  branches  that  communicates  with 
the  Peace  River,  called  the  Pine  River;  at 
the  entrance  of  Avhich  we  waited  for  the  other 
canoes,  in  order  to  take  some  supplies  from 
them,  as  I  had  reason  to  apprehend  they 
would  not  be  able  to  keep  up  with  us.  We 
entered  the  Peace  River  at  seven  in  the  morn- 
ing of  the  12th,  taking  a  Westerly  course. 
It  is  evident,  that  all  the  land  between  it  and 
the  Lake  of  the  Hills,  as  far  as  the  Elk  River, 
339 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   TIIROrGII    THE 

is  formed  ])y  the  quantity  of  earth  and  mud, 
wliich  is  carried  down  by  tlie  streams  of  those 
two  great  rivers.  In  this  space  there  are  sev- 
eral lakes.  Tlie  Lake  Clear  Water,  which  is 
the  deepest.  Lake  Vassieu,  and  the  Athabasca 
Lake,  which  is  the  largest  of  the  three,  and 
"whose  denomination  in  the  Kneisteneaux  lan- 
guage implies,  a  flat,  low,  swampy  country, 
subject  to  inundations.  The  two  last  lakes 
are  now  so  shallow,  that  from  the  cause  just 
mentioned,  there  is  every  reason  to  expect, 
that  in  a  few  years  they  will  have  exchanged 
their  character,  and  become  extensive  forests. 

This  country  is  so  level,  that,  at  some  sea- 
sons, it  is  entirely  overflowed,  which  accounts 
for  the  periodical  influx  and  reflux  of  the 
waters  between  the  Lake  of  tlie  Hills  and  the 
Peace  River. 

On  the  1.3th  at  noon  we  came  to  the  Peace 
Point;  from  which,  according  to  the  rejjort 
of  my  interpreter,  the  river  derives  its  name ; 
it  "was  the  spot  where  the  Knisteneaux  and 
Beaver  Indians  settled  their  dispute  ;  the  real 
name  of  the  river  and  point  being  that  of 
the  land  which  was  the  object  of  conten- 
tion. 

AVhen  this  country  was  formerly  invaded 
by  the  Knisteneaux,  they  found  the  Beaver 
Indians  inhal)iting  the  land  about  Portage  la 
Roche;  and  tlie  adjoining  tribe  were  those 
whom  they  called  .slaves.  They  drove  both 
340 


NORTH  WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

these  tribes  before  them;  when  the  latter 
proceeded  down  the  river  from  the  Lake  of 
the  Hills,  in  consequence  of  which  that  part 
of  it  obtained  the  name  of  the  Slave  Kiver. 
The  former  proceeded  up  the  river ;  and  when 
the  Knisteneaux  made  peace  with  them,  tliis 
place  was  settled  to  be  the  boundary. 

We  continued  our  voyage,  and  I  did  not 
find  the  current  so  strong  in  this  river  as  1 
had  been  huluced  to  believe,  though  this,  ]jer- 
haps,  was  not  the  period  to  form  a  correct 
notion  of  that  circumstance,  as  well  as  of  the 
breadth,  the  water  being  very  low ;  so  that 
the  stream  has  not  ajtpeared  to  me  to  be  in 
any  part  that  1  have  seen,  more  than  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  wide. 

The  weather  was  cold  and  raw,  so  as  to 
render  our  progress  unpleasant ;  at  the  same 
time  we  did  not  relax  in  our  expedition,  and, 
at  three  on  the  afternoon  of  the  17th  we  ar- 
rived at  the  falls.  The  river  at  this  place  is 
about  four  hundred  yards  broad,  and  the  fall 
about  twenty  feet  high:  the  first  carrying 
place  is  eight  hundred  paces  in  length,  and 
the  last,  which  is  about  a  mile  onwards,  is 
something  more  than  two-thirds  of  that  dis- 
tance. Here  we  found  several  tires,  from 
which  circumstance  we  concluded,  that  the 
canoes  destined  for  this  quarter,  which  left 
the  fort  some  days  l)efore  us,  could  not  be  far 
a-head.     The  weather  continued  to  be  very 

;;4i 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

cold,  and  the  snow  tliat  iVll  (hiring  the  night 
was  several  inches  deep. 

On  the  morning  of  the  18th,  as  soon  as  we 
got  out  of  the  draught  of  the  fall,  the  wind 
heing  at  Nortli-East,  and  strong  in  our  fa- 
A'our,  we  hoisted  sail,  which  carried  us  on  at 
a  considerable  rate  against  the  current,  and 
l^assed  the  Loon  River  before  twelve  o'clock; 
from  thence  we  soon  came  along  the  (}rande 
Isle,  at  the  upper  end  of  which  we  encainjted 
for  the  night.  It  now  froze  very  hard  :  in- 
deed, it  had  so  much  the  appearance  of  win- 
ter, that  I  began  to  entertain  some  alarm  lest 
we  might  be  stopi)ed  by  the  ice  :  we  tlierefore 
set  off  at  three  o'clock  in  tlie  morning  of  the 
19tli,  and  about  eight  we  landed  at  the  Old 
Establishment. 

The  passage  to  this  place  from  Athabasca 
having  been  surveyed  by  M.  Vandrieul,  for- 
merly in  the  Company's  service,  1  did  not 
tliink  it  necessary  to  give  any  particular  at- 
tention to  it;  I  shall,  however,  just  observe, 
that  the  course  in  general  from  the  Lake  of 
the  Hills  to  the  falls,  is  Westerly,  and  as 
much  to  the  North  as  the  South  of  it,  from 
thence  it  is  al)out  West-South- West  to  this 
fort. 

The  country  in  general  is  low  from  our  en- 
trance of  the  river  to  the  falls,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  open  parts  covered  with 
grass,  it  is  clothed  with  wood.  Where  the 
342 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  A3IERICA. 

banks  are  very  low  the  soil  is  good,  being 
composed  of  the  sediment  of  the  river  and 
putrefied  leaves  and  vegetables.  Where  they 
are  more  elevated,  they  display  a  face  of  yel- 
lowish clay,  mixed  with  small  stones.  On  a 
line  with  the  falls,  and  on  either  side  of  the 
river,  there  are  said  to  be  very  extensive 
plains,  which  afford  pasture  to  numerous  herds 
of  buffaloes.  Our  people  a-head  slept  here 
last  night,  and,  from  their  carelessness,  the 
fire  was  commimicated  to  and  burned  down, 
the  large  house,  and  was  proceeding  fast  to 
the  smaller  buildings  when  we  arrived  to  ex- 
tinguish it. 

We  continued  our  voyage,  the  course  of  the 
river  being  South- West  by  West  one  mile 
and  a  quarter.  South  by  East  one  mile,  South- 
West  by  South  three  miles,  West  by  South 
cue  mile,  South-South- West  two  miles,  South 
four  miles,  South-West  seven  miles  and  a 
half,  South  by  West  one  mile,  North-North- 
West  two  miles  and  a  half,  South  five  miles 
and  a  quarter,  South-West  one  mile  and  a 
half,  Xorth-East  by  East  three  miles  and  a 
half,  and  South-East  by  East  one  mile. 

We  overtook  Mr.  Finlay,  with  his  canoes, 
who  was  encamped  near  the  fort  of  which  he 
was  going  to  take  the  charge,  during  the  en- 
suing winter,  and  made  every  necessary  pre- 
parative for  a  becoming  appearance  on  our  ar- 
rival the  following  morning.  Although  I  had 
343 


JOURNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   THROUGH  THE 

been  since  the  year  1787,  in  the  Atliabasoa 
country,  I  had  never  yet  seen  a  single  native 
of  that  part  of  it  which  we  had  now  reached. 

At  six  O'clock  in  the  morning  of  tlie  20th, 
we  landed  before  the  house  amidst  the  rejoic- 
ing and  tiring  of  the  people,  who  were  ani- 
mated with  the  prospect  of  again  indulging 
themselves  in  the  luxury  of  rum,  of  which 
they  had  been  deprived  since  the  beghnung  of 
May ;  as  it  is  a  practice  throughout  the  North- 
West  neither  to  sell  or  give  any  rum  to  the 
natives  during  the  summer.  There  was  at 
tliis  time  only  one  chief  with  his  peo^jle,  the 
other  two  being  hourly  expected  with  their 
bands;  and  on  the  21st  and  22d  tliey  all  ar- 
rived except  the  war  chief  and  fifteen  men. 
As  they  very  soon  expressed  their  desire  of 
the  expected  regale,  I  called  them  together, 
to  the  number  of  forty-two  hunters,  or  men 
capable  of  bearing  arms,  to  offer  some  advice, 
which  would  be  equally  advantageous  to  them 
and  to  us,  and  I  strengthened  my  admonition 
with  a  nine  gallon  cask  of  reduced  rum,  and 
a  quantity  of  tobacco.  At  the  same  time  I 
observed,  that  as  I  should  not  often  visit 
them,  I  had  instanced  a  greater  degree  of  lib- 
erality than  they  had  been  accustomed  to. 

The    number  of    people  belonging  to  this 

establishment  amounts  to  about  three  hiui- 

dred,  of  which,  sixty  are  hunters.     Although 

they  appear  from  their  language  to  be  of  the 

;544 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

same  stock  as  tlie  Cliepewyans,  they  differ 
from  tlieiu  iu  appearance,  mauuers,  and  cus- 
toms, as  they  liave  adopted  those  of  their 
former  enemies,  the  Kuisteneaux ;  they  speak 
their  language,  as  well  as  cut  their  hair,  paint, 
and  dress  like  them,  and  possess  their  immod- 
erate fondness  for  liquor  and  tobacco.  This 
description,  however,  can  be  applied  only  to 
the  men,  as  the  women  are  less  adorned  even 
than  those  of  the  Chepewyan  tribes.  We 
could  not  observe,  without  some  degree  of 
surprize,  the  contrast  between  the  neat  and 
decent  appearance  of  the  men,  and  the  nasti- 
ness  of  the  women.  I  am  disposed,  however, 
to  think,  that  this  circumstance  is  generally 
owing  to  the  extreme  submission  and  abase- 
ment of  the  latter :  for  I  observed,  that  one 
of  the  chiefs  allowed  two  of  his  wives  more 
liberty  and  familiarity  than  were  accorded  to 
the  others,  as  well  as  a  more  becoming  ex- 
terior, and  their  appearance  was  proportion- 
ably  pleasing;  I  sliall,  however,  take  a  future 
opportunity  to  speak  more  at  large  on  this 
subject. 

There  were  frequent  changes  of  the  weather 
in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  it  froze  rather 
hard  in  the  night.  The  thickness  of  the  ice 
in  the  morning  was  a  sufficient  notice  for  nu^ 
to  proceed.  I  accordingly  gave  the  natives 
such  good  counsel  as  might  influence  their  be- 
haviour, coiiiiminicated  my  directions  to  ]\Ir. 

•Mr, 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

I-'iiullay  for  his  future  coiuluct,  and  took  my 
leave  under  several  vollies  of  musketry,  oil 
the  morning  of  the  23d.  I  had  already  dis- 
patched my  loaded  canoes  two  days  before, 
with  directions  to  continue  their  progress 
without  waiting  for  me.  Our  course  Avas 
South-South-East  one  mile  and  an  half,  South 
three  quarters ;  East  seven  miles  and  a  half, 
veering  gradually  to  the  West  four  miles  and 
an  half.  South-East  by  South  three  miles, 
South-East  three  miles  and  an  half,  East- 
South-East  to  Long  Point  three  miles,  South- 
West  one  mile  and  a  quarter,  East  by  North 
four  miles  and  three  quarters.  West  three 
miles  and  an  half,  West-South- West  one  mile, 
East  by  South  five  miles  and  a  half.  South 
three  miles  and  tliree  quarters,  South-East  by 
South  three  miles,  East-South-East  three 
miles,  East-North -East  one  mile,  when  there 
was  a  river  that  flowed  in  on  the  right.  East 
two  miles  and  an  half,  East-South-East  half 
a  mile,  South-East  l)y  South  seven  miles  and 
an  lialf.  South  two  miles,  South-South-East 
three  miles  and  an  half;  in  the  course  of 
which  Ave  passed  an  island  Soutli  by  West, 
where  a  rivulet  flowed  in  on  the  right,  one 
mile.  East  one  mile  and  an  half.  South  five 
miles,  South-East  by  South  four  miles  and  an 
half.  South- West  one  mile,  South-East  by 
East  four  miles  and  an  half,  West-South- 
West  half  a  mile.  South- West  six  miles  and 
346 


KORTH-WEST  CONTINEKT   OF  AMERICA. 

three  quarters,  South-East  by  South  oue  mile 
and  an  half,  South  one  mile  and  an  half; 
South-East  by  South  two  miles,  South- West 
three  quarters  of  a  mile,  South-East  by  South 
two  miles  and  an  half.  East  by  South  one 
mile  and  three  quarters.  South  two  miles, 
South-East  one  mile  and  an  half,  South- 
South-East  half  a  mile.  East  bj-  South  two 
miles  and  an  half,  North-East  three  miles. 
South- West  by  West  short  distance  to  the 
establishment  of  last  year,  East-!N'orth-East 
four  miles,  South-South-East  one  mile  and 
three  quarters.  South  half  a  mile,  South-East 
l)y  South  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  Xorth-East 
by  East  oue  mile,  South  three  miles,  South- 
South-East  one  mile  and  three  quarters.  South 
by  East  four  miles  and  an  half,  South-West 
three  miles,  South  by  East  two  miles,  South 
by  West  one  mile  and  an  half,  South-West 
two  miles,  South  by  West  four  miles  and  an 
half,  South-West  one  mile  and  an  half,  and 
South  by  East  three  miles.  Here  we  arrived 
at  the  forks  of  the  river ;  the  Eastern  branch 
appearing  to  be  not  more  than  half  the  size 
of  the  Western  one.  We  pursued  the  latter, 
in  a  course  South-West  by  West  six  miles, 
and  landed  on  the  first  of  Xovember  at  the 
place  which  was  designed  to  be  my  winter 
residence :  indeed,  the  weather  had  been  so 
cold  and  disagreeable,  that  I  was  more  than 
once  apprehensive  of  our  being  stopped  by 
'M7 


JOUltNAL   OF  A  VOYAOE   TIIHordll    THE 

the  ice,  aiul,  after  all,  it  rec^uired  the  utmost 
exertions  of  which  my  men  were  capable  to 
prevent  it ;  so  that  on  their  arrival  they  were 
quite  exhausted.  Nor  were  their  labours  at 
an  end,  for  there  was  not  a  single  hut  to  re- 
ceive us :  it  was,  however,  now  in  my  power 
to  feed  and  sustain  them  in  a  more  comfort- 
able manner. 

We  found  two  men  here  who  had  been  sent 
forward  last  spring,  for  the  purpose  of  squar- 
ing timber  for  the  erection  of  a  house,  and 
cutting  pallisades,  &c.,  to  surround  it.  With 
them  was  the  principal  chief  of  the  place, 
and  about  seventy  men,  who  had  been  anx- 
iously waiting  for  our  arrival,  and  received 
us  with  every  mark  of  satisfaction  and  regard 
which  they  could  express.  If  we  might  judge 
from  the  quantity  of  powder  that  was  wasted 
on  our  arrival,  they  certainly  had  not  been  in 
want  of  ammunition,  at  least  during  the  sum- 
mer. 

The  banks  of  the  river,  from  the  falls,  are 
in  general  lofty,  except  at  low  woody  points, 
accidentally  formed  in  the  manner  I  have  al- 
ready mentioned :  they  also  displayed,  in  all 
their  broken  parts,  a  face  of  clay,  intermixed 
with  stone;  in  some  places  there  likewise 
appeared  a  black  mould. 

In  the  summer  of  1788,  a  small  spot  was 
cleared  at  the  Old  Establishment,  which  is 
situated  on  a  bank  thirty  feet  above  the  level 
348 


NORTH-WEST   COXTIXEXT   OF   A:\IErJCA. 

of  tlie  river,  and  was  sown  with  turnips,  car- 
rots, and  parsnips.  The  first  grew  to  a  large 
size,  and  the  others  tlirived  very  well.  An 
experiment  was  also  made  with  potatoes  and 
cabbage,  the  former  of  Avhieh  were  success- 
ful ;  but  for  want  of  care  the  latter  failed. 
The  next  winter  the  person  who  had  under- 
taken this  cultivation,  suffered  the  potatoes 
Avhich  had  been  collected  for  seed,  to  catch 
the  frost,  and  none  had  been  since  brought  to 
this  place.  There  is  not  the  least  doubt  but 
the  soil  would  be  very  productive,  if  a  proper 
attention  Avas  given  to  its  preparation.  In 
the  fall  of  the  year  1787,  when  I  first  arrived 
at  Athabasca,  ]SIr.  Pond  was  settled  on  the 
banks  of  the  Elk  River,  Avhere  he  remained 
for  three  years,  and  had  formed  as  fine  a 
kitchen  garden  as  I  ever  saw  in  Canada. 

In  addition  to  the  wood  which  fiourished 
below  the  fall,  these  banks  produce  the  cy- 
press tree,  arrow-wood,  and  the  thorn.  On 
either  side  of  the  river,  though  invisible  from 
it,  are  extensive  plains,  which  abound  in  buf- 
faloes, elks,  wolves,  foxes,  and  bears.  At  a 
considerable  distance  to  the  Westward,  is  an 
immense  ridge  of  high  land  or  mountains, 
which  take  an  oblique  direction  from  below 
the  falls,  and  are  inhabited  by  great  numbers 
of  deer,  which  are  seldom  disturbed,  but 
Avhen  the  Indians  go  to  hunt  the  beaver  in 
those  parts;  and,  being  tired  with  the  flesh 
340 


.KHRNAL   OF  A  VOYAGI-:   TIIROIOII    TIIH 

of  the  latter,  vary  their  food  with  that  of  the 
former.  This  ridge  bears  the  name  of  the 
Deer  Mountain.  Opposite  to  our  present  sit- 
uation, are  beautiful  meadows,  with  various 
animals  grazing  on  them,  and  groves  of  pop- 
lars irregularly  scattered  over  them. 

My  tent  was  no  sooner  pitched,  than  I  sum- 
moned the  Indians  together,  and  gave  each  of 
them  about  four  inches  of  Brazil  tobacco,  a 
dram  of  spirits,  and  lighted  the  pipe.  As  they 
had  been  very  troublesome  to  my  predecessor, 
I  informed  them  that  I  had  heard  of  their  mis- 
conduct, and  was  come  among  them  to  inquiie 
into  the  truth  of  it.  I  added  also  that  it 
would  be  an  established  rule  with  me  to  treat 
them  with  kindness,  if  their  behaviour  should 
be  such  as  to  deserve  it;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  that  I  should  be  equally  severe  if  they 
failed  in  those  returns  which  I  had  a  right  to 
expect  from  them.  I  then  presented  them 
with  a  quantity  of  rum,  which  I  recommended 
to  be  used  with  discretion  ;  and  added  some 
tobacco,  as  a  token  of  peace.  They,  in  re- 
turn, made  me  the  fairest  promises;  and  hav- 
ing expressed  the  pride  they  felt  on  beholding 
me  in  their  country,  took  their  leave. 

I  now  proceeded  to  examine  my  situation ; 
and  it  was  with  great  satisfaction  I  observed 
that  the  two  men  who  had  been  sent  hither 
some  time  before  us,  to  cut  and  square  tim- 
ber for  our  future  operations,  had  employed 
3o0 


NORTH-WEST   CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

the  intervening  period  with  activity  and  skill. 
They  had  formed  a  sufficient  quantity  of  pal- 
lisades  of  eighteen  feet  long,  and  seven  inches 
in  diameter,  to  inclose  a  square  spot  of  an 
hundred  and  twenty  feet ;  they  had  also  dug 
a  ditch  of  three  feet  deep  to  receive  them ; 
and  had  prepared  timber,  planks,  &c.,  for  the 
erection  of  a  house. 

.1  was,  however,  so  much  occupied  in  set- 
tling matters  with  the  Indians,  and  equipping 
them  for  their  winter  hunting,  that  I  could 
not  give  my  attention  to  any  other  object,  till 
the  7th,  when  I  set  all  hands  at  work  to  con- 
struct the  fort,  build  the  house,  and  form 
store  houses.  On  the  preceding  day  the  river 
began  to  run  with  ice,  which  we  call  the  last 
of  the  navigation.  On  the  11th  we  had  a 
South- West  wind,  with  snow.  On  the  16th, 
the  ice  stopped  in  the  other  fork,  which  was 
not  above  a  league  from  us,  across  the  inter- 
vening neck  of  land.  The  water  in  this 
branch  continued  to  flow  till  the  22d,  when 
it  was  arrested  also  by  the  frost,  so  that  we 
had  a  passage  across  the  river,  which  would 
last  to  the  latter  end  of  the  succeeding  April. 
This  was  a  fortunate  circumstance,  as  we  de- 
pended for  our  support  upon  what  the  hunters 
could  provide  for  us,  and  they  had  been  pre- 
vented by  the  running  of  the  ice  from  cross- 
ing the  river.  They  now,  however,  very 
shortly  procured  us  as  much  fresh  meat  as  we 
351 


.lOl  KNAL   OF  A  VOYAGE   TIIKOUGH   THE 

ivquired,  tlunigh  it  was  for  some  time  a  toil- 
some business  to  my  people,  for  as  there  was 
not  yet  a  sufficient  quantity  of  snow  to  run 
sledges,  they  were  under  the  necessity  of 
loading  themseh^es  with  the  spoils  of  the 
chase. 

On  the  27th  the  frost  was  so  severe  that 
the  axes  of  the  workmen  became  almost  as 
brittle  as  glass.  The  weather  was  very  vari- 
ous until  the  2d  of  December,  when  my  Faren- 
heit's  thermometer  was  injured  by  an  acci- 
dent, which  rendered  it  altogether  useless. 
The  table  on  page  353,  therefore,  from  the 
l()th  of  November,  to  this  unfortunate  cir- 
cumstance, is  the  only  correct  account  of  the 
weather  which  I  can  offer. 

In  this  situation,  removed  from  all  those 
ready  aids  which  add  so  much  to  the  com- 
fort, and,  indeed  is  a  principal  characteristic 
of  civilized  life,  I  was  under  the  necessity  of 
employing  my  judgment  and  experience  in 
accessory  circumstances  by  no  means  con- 
nected with  the  habits  of  my  life,  or  the  en- 
terprise in  which  I  was  immediately  engaged. 
I  was  now  among  the  people  who  had  no 
knowledge  whatever  of  remediable  applica- 
tion to  those  disorders  aud  accidents  to  which 
man  is  liable  in  every  part  of  the  globe,  in 
the  distant  wilderness,  as  in  the  peopled  city. 
They  had  not  the  least  acquaintance  with  that 
primitive  medicine,  which  consists  in  an  ex- 
352 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  A:MERICA. 


Strong  wind. 

At  10  last  night  1  below  0. 

River  stopped. 

Ice  drove,  and  water  rises. 

Ice  drove  again. 

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Ditto,  a  little  wind  S.  W. 

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353 


JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  THROUGH  THE 

perience  of  the  healing  virtues  of  herbs  and 
plants,  and  is  frequently  found  among  unciv- 
ilised and  savage  nations.  This  circumstance 
now  obliged  me  to  be  their  physician  and 
surgeon,  as  a  woman  with  a  swelled  breast, 
which  had  been  lacerated  with  flint  stones  for 
the  cure  of  it,  presented  herself  to  my  atten- 
tion, and  by  cleanliness,  poultices,  and  heal- 
ing salve,  I  succeeded  in  producing  a  cure. 
One  of  my  people,  also,  who  was  at  work  in 
the  woods,  was  attacked  with  a  sudden  pain 
near  the  first  joint  of  his  thumb,  which  dis- 
abled him  from  holding  an  axe.  On  examin- 
ing his  arm,  I  was  astonished  to  find  a  nar- 
row red  stripe,  about  half  an  inch  wide,  from 
his  thumb  to  his  shoulder ;  the  pain  was  vio- 
lent, and  accompanied  with  chilliness  and 
shivering.  This  was  a  case  that  appeared  to 
be  beyond  my  skill,  but  it  was  necessary  to 
do  something  towards  relieving  the  mind  of 
the  patient,  though  I  might  be  unsuccessful 
in  removing  his  complaint.  I  accordingly  pre- 
pared a  kind  of  volatile  linament  of  rum  and 
soaj),  with  which  I  ordered  his  arm  to  be 
rubbed,  but  with  little  or  no  effect.  He  was 
in  a  raving  state  throughout  the  night,  and  the 
red  stripe  not  only  increased,  but  was  also  ac- 
companied with  the  appearance  of  several 
blotches  on  his  body,  and  pains  in  his  stom- 
ach ;  the  propriety  of  taking  some  blood  from 
him  now  occurred  to  me,  and  I  ventured,  from 
354 


NORTH-WEST  CONTINENT   OF  AMERICA. 

absolute  necessity,  to  perform  that  operation 
for  the  first  time,  and  with  an  effect  that  jus- 
tified the  treatment.  The  following  night 
afforded  him  rest,  and  in  a  short  time  he  re- 
gained his  former  health  and  activity. 

I  was  very  much  surprised  on  walking  in 
the  woods  at  such  an  inclement  period  of  the 
year,  to  be  saluted  with  the  singing  of  birds, 
while  they  seemed  by  their  vivacity  to  be  ac- 
tuated by  the  invigorating  power  of  a  more 
genial  season.  Of  these  birds  the  male  was 
something  less  than  the  robin;  part  of  his 
body  is  of  a  delicate  fawn  colour,  and  his 
neck,  breast,  and  belly,  of  a  deep  scarlet; 
the  wings  are  black,  edged  with  fawn  colour, 
and  two  white  stripes  running  across  them ; 
the  tail  is  variegated,  and  the  head  crowned 
with  a  tuft.  The  female  is  smaller  than  the 
male,  and  of  a  fawn  colour  throughout,  ex- 
cept on  the  neck,  which  is  enlivened  by  an 
hue  of  glossy  yellow.  I  have  no  doubt  but 
they  are  constant  inhabitants  of  this  climate, 
as  well  as  some  other  small  birds  which  we 
saw,  of  a  grey  colour. 


355 


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